Before Davis co-captain Reial Phongsavath’s corner kick ball bounced off numerous Syracuse players in front of the net, hit the bottom of the crossbar and caromed into goalie Brianna Brown’s mitts, teammate Kate Willard got her head on it.

“I stood in front of the keeper and it came right to me and I headed it in. I saw it cross the line and then they started kicking it,” Willard said. “I knew it was in; I was just kind of hoping the refs saw that. The first bounce was in.

“Corners are always a chance to score. Honestly, chaos in the box a lot of times results in a goal. Getting any body part on it … getting a touch and a lucky bounce can score a goal,” Willard said.

No. 2 Davis held onto that lead gained in the 24th minute and added three insurance goals in the second half, ousting defending 6A champion No. 7 Syracuse 4-0 in the state quarterfinals on Thursday.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“I think we would have changed it up but things were working out for us, so we stayed the way we were playing.” Willard said. “They didn’t get many opportunities on goal, so we kept our energy and tried to maintain and keep the ball.”

Syracuse co-captain Jocee Eddy gave her team’s take on the somewhat disputed goal.

“I don’t think the ref was in the correct position overall to make that crazy call,” Eddy said. “After talking to our centerbacks and analyzing the film that we were given, it was definitely controversial and could have gone the other way in our favor and been 0-0 at the half.

“But we can’t let what the refs do affect us. We have to bounce back; that’s ultimately the thing we didn’t do,” Eddy said.

Willard made the controversial goal a moot point when she scored her second goal in the 60th minute, making it 2-0.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“Reial had the ball going down the wing and she crossed it in. I slid and hit it with my left foot, and it went top left,” Willard said.

That opened the floodgates when Avery Johnson scored the third Davis (14-4) goal less than a minute later.

“The next three minutes after a goal is the most important because they’re trying hard, but we have the momentum,” Willard said. “We performed within those three minutes, which is great.”

Pepperdine commit Samantha Maudsley’s goal with one minute remaining was icing on the cake.

Sophomore keeper Jazmyn Booyse got the surprise start and kept a clean sheet for the Darts.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“It’s so cool to be so young and be able to play in this game … as a sophomore to play varsity,” Booyse said. “I’m really happy this game was me.

“Cambell (Christensen) and I kind of switch depending on the game and who the coach (Dillon Richins) feels is best, based on the game scenario. I found out after warmups when he announced the lineups,” Booyse said.

Booyse had a lot of help from her teammates, as Willard mentioned earlier when the Davis defense limited Syracuse’s shots on goal.

“They’re amazing. They are so like as one. They work well together. I couldn’t ask for anyone better,” Booyse said. “A shutout feels so good.”

There is a lot of background history between Davis and Syracuse over the last couple of years. As Region 1 foes, they’ve faced off twice during league play and met in the playoffs each season.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Syracuse (11-9) won both region matches this year by one-goal margins.

“Losing twice to Syracuse, we weren’t going to let it happen a third time. We came here with extra fight and performed with extra effort,” Willard said. “We learned things each game. Playing them a third time, you get more familiar with them. We worked hard and played really well together today.”

Beating a team three times in a year is always a storyline, but Syracuse did that last year against the Darts and had won five straight heading into Thursday’s match.

“We were ready. This is a bummer because we left a lot on the table. We beat them three times last year, so we knew they were going to come out with a chip on their shoulder,” Eddy said. “We had won three before and we came out confident. We just didn’t play to our best ability.”

After the Titans beat Cedar Valley 3-0 on Tuesday in the first round, Eddy was disappointed with how the season ended.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“We definitely had some rough patches, but we did find our groove and were doing good,” Eddy said. “Overall, as players we started to like each other more. Our season was not what we wanted.”

Davis, meanwhilem advances to the semifinals Monday afternoon at Zions Bank Stadium against No. 3 Farmington, looking to extend its season once more after dethroning the reigning champions.

Farmington won both Region 1 matchups against the Darts. At 14-4, losses to Syracuse and Farmington are the only defeats Davis has taken this season.

“I’m so excited. There’s so many seniors on this team; we weren’t going to let this be our last game,” Willard said.

LONE PEAK 4, LAYTON 0

ALPINE — No. 8 Layton took a 4-0 shutout loss at top seed Lone Peak (14-5) to end the Lancers’ season in the 6A quarterfinals Thursday.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

Layton finishes with a record of 9-9.

Davis High's Kate Willard handles the ball during a 6A girls soccer state quarterfinal against Syracuse on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Kaysville. (BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)

Syracuse's Hannah NeVille (21) and Davis High's Avery Johnson (10) chase down the ball during a 6A girls soccer state quarterfinal Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Kaysville. (BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)

Syracuse High's Abby Rizley (19) heads the ball away from a challenge by Davis High's Kate Willard during a 6A girls soccer state quarterfinal Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Kaysville. (BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)

Davis High's Reial Phongsavath, right, possess the ball in front of Syracuse's Paislee Marion (24) during a 6A girls soccer state quarterfinal Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, in Kaysville. (BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner)

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