To summarize the year for the Alta girls soccer team, one might say it was a perfectly “even” season. 

The Hawks were 9-9 overall and 6-6 in Region 6, good enough for fifth place in the seven-team league. In the Class 5A state tournament, the Hawks were 1-1, winning in the first round at home before losing in round two. 

There was a lot to like about the season for Hawk players, coaches and fans—as well as thing that didn’t go so well. 

Ultimately, Alta’s season came to an end at the hands of a challenging opponent: second-seeded Clearfield. Playing on the road in the second round on Oct. 10, Alta lost 6-1. The game started off fine for the Hawks, as they trailed just 2-1 at the break. Lizzy Cowdell scored a goal off an assist from Lilly Brimley, leaving the team within striking distance of upsetting the Falcons. 

But the second half was one Alta would like to forget. Clearfield erupted for four goals after halftime to win going away. 

The second-round loss was an almost exact reverse replica of the team’s first-round victory. In that contest, played at home on Oct. 5, Alta routed Region 4’s West Jordan 6-0. The Hawks were up 2-0 at halftime; however, just as Clearfield would do to them five days later, the Hawks had four goals in the second half. The offensive explosion involved multiple players, with seniors Kate Heaton and Erica Harkness each scoring twice. Heaton and Cowdell had goals as well, and five different players registered assists, including Harkness. 

This was the fifth year in a row that Alta lost in the second round of the playoffs. 

In the regular season, Alta had close games and was also on both ends of blowouts. The Hawks lost to Olympus 5-1 on Sept. 14 and fell to Skyline 6-1 on Aug. 28 and 5-0 on Sept. 21. But Alta also crushed Highland 7-0 on Aug. 14 and West 7-1 on Sept. 6. The Hawks posted five shutouts this season, with goalie Biz Vietti getting the credit. Alta outscored its opponents 44-41 on the year and 30-27 in region play. 

Several players got into the act offensively this season. Cowdell paced the Hawks with 11 goals. She also had three assists. Natalie Abba had nine goals and an assist, while Heaton had seven goals and two assists. Andie Anderson, just a sophomore, had five goals. Leading the team in assists was senior Emily Dachenhausen. 

Alta loses seven seniors, but some talented players will come back in 2024.   λ