They scored goals and stopped them. They carried their teams and lifted them to new heights. They were familiar foes and newcomers.
No perfect recipe exists for a soccer Most Valuable Player. But four athletes rose above the rest this spring to earn the honor. Three won state titles. The other led the state in scoring.
Each was more than a star for his team. He exemplified its spirit and its soul. He played hard. He led.
Here are The Tribune's MVPs (click on links at left for more on each athlete):
Class 5A first team
MVP: Chris Lowrimore, Sr., Goalkeeper, Alta
Midfielder, Derek Boggs, Sr., Alta
Midfielder, Winston Sorhaitz, Sr., Pleasant Grove
Midfielder, Dillon Richens, Sr., Viewmont
Midfielder, Sam Erekson, Sr., Bingham
Midfielder, John Taylor, Jr., Davis
Midfielder, Connor Colletti, Sr., Brighton
Forward, Justin Allen, Sr., Viewmont
Forward, Matt Nielson, Sr., Viewmont
Forward, Andy Rodriguez, Sr., Cyprus
Forward, Alex Lawhun, Sr., Alta,
Defender, Matt Fritzsche, Sr., Brighton
Defender, Curtis Child, Sr., Weber
Goalkeeper, Hayden Blackburn, Sr., Viewmont
Goalkeeper, Taylor Ruff, Sr., Copper Hills
Class 5A second team
Midfielder, Parker Dixon, Jr., Weber
Midfielder, Lucas Cawley, Fr., Viewmont
Midfielder, Andrew Hawks, Sr., Alta
Midfielder, Jerry Dearden, Sr., Brighton
Midfielder, Nate Speirs, Sr., Murray
Midfielder, Oscar Zamudio, Sr., Copper Hills
Forward, Andrew Newbold, Sr., Copper Hills
Forward, Taylor Fankhouser, Jr., Brighton
Forward, Adrien Baldwin, Sr., Murray
Forward, Marlo Matamoros, Sr., Cyprus
Defender, Daniel Baggaley, Jr., Brighton
Defender, Thomas Rodriguez, Jr., Murray
Defender, Logan Anderson, Sr., Copper Hills
Goalkeeper, Aaron Stoddard, Sr., Brighton
Goalkeeper, Daniel Ainsworth, Jr., West
Class 4A first team
MVP: Jaycson Yeates, Sr., Midfielder, Mountain Crest
Midfielder, Manuel Duenas, Sr., Bountiful
Midfielder, Besser Davila, Jr., Mountain View
Midfielder, Manny Akok, Sr., Highland
Midfielder, Luis Calquin, Sr., Woods Cross
Midfielder, Josue Cisneros, Sr., Mountain View
Midfielder, Taylor Egbert, Sr., Bountiful
Forward, Chris Reyes, Jr., Mountain View
Forward, Trenton Truman, Sr., Dixie
Forward, Richard Haddock, Jr., Bountiful
Forward, Christian Cardoso, Soph., Provo
Defender, Jordan Gerfen, Sr., Box Elder
Defender, Geoff Hall, Sr., Dixie
Defender, Jacob Rounds, Sr., Mountain Crest
Defender, Parker Lopp, Sr., Mountain View
Goalkeeper, Tanner Collins, Sr., Mountain Crest
Goalkeeper, Keegan Black, Sr., Mountain View
Class 4A second team
Midfielder, Jason Cook, Jr., East
Midfielder, Dallin Pope, Sr., Springville
Midfielder, Daniel Flores, Soph., Mountain Crest
Midfielder, Luke Kooyman, Sr., Highland
Midfielder, Payden Pemberton, Jr., Salem Hills
Midfielder, Lincoln Salmon, Sr., Provo
Forward, Matt Gay, Jr., Orem
Forward, James Barker, Jr., East
Forward, Andres Irvin, Sr., Highland
Forward, Kyler Johnson, Sr., Box Elder
Defender, Kade Nordfors, Jr., Bountiful
Defender, Brett Adair, Sr., Mountain Crest
Defender, Mike Pignataro, Sr., Mountain Crest
Defender, Zack Cowan, Sr., Lehi
Goalkeeper, Hayes Hicken, Jr., Highland
Goalkeeper, Gavin Van Minde, Jr., East
Class 3A first team
MVP: Alex Espinoza, Soph., Forward, Wasatch
Midfielder, Skyler Doran, Sr., Juan Diego
Midfielder, Jorge Lemus, Sr., Bear River
Midfielder, Patrick Hickman, Sr., Judge Memorial
Midfielder, Anthony Alcox, Sr., Park City
Midfielder, Victor Galindo, Fr., Ben Lomond
Midfielder, Kyle Kinman, Sr., Desert Hills
Forward, Dayvin Palmer, Sr., Desert Hills
Forward, Emmanuel Hurtado, Jr., Juan Diego
Forward, Adam Richardson, Jr., Juan Diego
Forward, Jackson Cheal, Jr., Wasatch
Defender, Collin Hopkins, Sr., Wasatch
Defender, Isaiah Garcia, Sr., Juan Diego
Defender, Bobby Sullivan, Sr., Juan Diego
Defender, Justin Gooch, Sr., Desert Hills
Goalkeeper, Du Nguyen, Sr., Juan Diego
Goalkeeper, Cooper Hall, Jr., Wasatch
Class 3A second team
Midfielder, Devon Hall, Sr., Wasatch
Midfielder, Daniel Ramirez, Sr., Juan Diego
Midfielder, Jesse Katzenbach, Jr., Hurricane
Midfielder, Kendall Burgener, Sr., Desert Hills
Midfielder, Jace Abbott, Sr., Delta
Midfielder, Luca Guidetti, Sr., Union
Forward, Ross Terrill, Sr., Judge Memorial
Forward, Daniel Chavez, Sr., Manti
Forward, Jorge Mendiola, Soph., Carbon
Forward, Riley Steed, Sr., Bear River
Defender, Mike Brown, Sr., Wasatch
Defender, Dan Goodman, Sr., Judge Memorial
Defender, Kelton Chapman, Sr., Delta
Defender, Patrick Gibbs, Sr., Judge Memorial
Goalkeeper, Gustavo Morales, Jr., Desert Hills
Goalkeeper, Brady Payne, Jr., Delta
Class 2A first team
MVP: Pancho Alcala, Junior, Foward, Millard
Midfielder, Jacob Chung, Jr., Waterford
Midfielder, Trevor Rydalch, Sr., South Summit
Midfielder, Jon Bebbington, Jr., Rowland Hall
Midfielder, Avery Smith, Soph., Waterford
Midfielder, Adam Brodstein, Soph., St. Joseph
Midfielder, Dino Soto, Sr., St. Joseph
Forward, Josh Warner, Soph., Waterford
Forward, Levi Thompson, Sr., South Summit
Forward, Han Wiener, Sr., Rowland Hall
Forward, David Donlevy, Fr., St. Joseph
Defender, Parker Dolbin, Jr., Waterford
Defender, Blake Shott, Soph., Rowland Hall
Defender, David Beesley, Sr., Waterford
Defender, Mats Sanyer, Sr., Rowland Hall
Goalkeeper, Mitch Koehler, Soph., St. Joseph
Goalkeeper, Ben Mitchell, Jr., Maeser Prep
Class 2A second team
Midfielder, Emir Rahislic, Soph., Rowland Hall
Midfielder, Keyanu Tate, Fr., St. Joseph
Midfielder, Brian Araos, Sr., Millard
Midfielder, Diego Urban, Sr., Wasatch Academy
Midfielder, Casey Lundgreen, Sr., South Summit
Midfielder, Jesse Rhodes, Soph., Millard
Forward, Sam Nolan, Jr., Rowland Hall
Forward, Diego Gonzalez, Jr., Gunnison
Forward, Tyler Garcia, Sr., Grand
Forward, David Engle, Sr., Mount Vernon
Defender, Sean Black, Sr., Grand
Defender, Kenin Richards, Soph., St. Joseph
Defender, Pat Cozzi, Sr., St. Joseph
Defender, James Joseph, Sr., Beaver
Goalkeeper, Joseph Hawks, Sr., Grand
Goalkeeper, CJ Metcalf, Jr., South Summit —
College commitments
Jerry Dearden, Brighton • Midfielder, BYU
Winston Sorhaitz, Pleasant Grove • Midfielder, BYU
Justin Allen, Viewmont • Forward, BYUâHawaii
Dillon Richens, Viewmont • Midfielder, BYU-Hawaii
Alex Lawhun, Alta • Forward, Dixie State
Chris Lowrimore, Alta • Goalkeeper, Gonzaga
Derek Boggs, Alta • Midfielder, Portland
Connor Colletti, Brighton • Midfielder, UNLV
Aaron Stoddard, Brighton • Goalkeeper, UNLV
Collin Hintze, Alta • Midfielder, Westminster
Skyler Doran, Juan Diego • Midfielder, Westminster
Austin Phelps, Viewmont • Midfielder, Westminster
Daniel Ramirez, Juan Diego • Midfielder, Westminster —
The teams
All-State boys' soccer teams (pdf) • http://bit.ly/jet5Hd
All-State boys' soccer MVPs (pdf) • http://bit.ly/m52R7I
