Last season, the Jordan girls soccer team had some ups and down, finishing the year with a 7-10 mark. 

The Beetdiggers almost equaled those wins in just seven tries to begin the 2024 campaign. 

Jordan began the season 5-2 and won two of its first three games in Region 10. Not only have the Beetdiggers been winning more than they did a year ago, but they have been dominant at time. Jordan outscored its foes through seven games by a collective score of 14-4. In four of the team’s five wins during this span, the victories were by shutout. Win No. 5 was a 3-1 victory over Hillcrest on Aug. 21. Jordan’s only losses through seven matches were 2-0 against Highland on Aug. 13 and 1-0 at Park City on Aug. 26. 

Head coach Justin Jahnke isn’t surprised by the Beetdiggers’ early success. He is confident that the girls will continue to improve and win. 

“I expect us to be competitive in every match, hopefully beating some teams that are ‘supposed to beat us,’” Jahnke said. “That’s a team expectation. I have my own also, but I often keep those to myself so not to project that onto the team. They put enough pressure on themselves; they don’t need more from me. Often, our expectations match.”

During the early part of the season, Jahnke noticed how well his seniors and juniors were setting good examples for the younger players. These more experienced team members have led with their play on the field and by the way they have treated teammates. Plus, newcomers arrived on the team with positive attitudes and a willingness to put forth effort. Jahnke said the freshmen have “brought a breath of fresh air to the program” and that “they are fun to be around and also very skilled.” Jahnke also appreciates how the junior varsity squad pushes the varsity team in practices. 

“Our biggest strength is our leadership from the seniors and juniors with the competitiveness from our freshmen and sophomores,” Jahnke said. “Our JV team is full of players that want varsity time. That drive to compete in training will make our varsity girls be locked in at all times.”

Jordan earned a good enough seed last season to get a first-round home game in the Class 4A state tournament. However, the Beetdiggers lost in a heartbreaker to Provo in a shootout. This season, Jordan wants to advance in the playoffs and compete for the Region 10 championship. 

“Per usual, the girls want to challenge for a region title,” Jahnke said. “We also want to host another playoff game and get out of the first round this time.”

The last time Jordan won in the postseason was 2013 when it reached the 5A quarterfinals. 

Jordan’s leaders and top performers are senior forward Julia Willham, junior defender Kyrie Evans and sophomore goalkeeper June Joseph. Willham tied for the team lead—along with freshman Sydney Vessey—for the team lead goals through seven games with six. She was second in assists with three. Joseph has caused fits for opponents, having been credited with four shutouts in her first seven starts. 

These three players do much more than put up big numbers on the field. They are tremendous leaders and excel in their pursuits outside the sport of soccer. 

“[Willham] is an inclusive leader on and off the field,” Jahnke said. “She’s a great student, great athlete and leads by example. [Evans] brings a calm, yet competitive demeanor to our back line and has played varsity for us since her freshmen year. [Joseph] is a vocal leader at the back. Although just a sophomore, she plays a high level of club and was a varsity starter last year, recording six clean sheets (shutouts). She got All-Region and All-State awards.”

When the season began, Jahnke didn’t put a number of wins as a specific goal or expectation. However, he did say he would be able to measure success if the team exceeded last year’s win total and performance. He also hopes the Beetdiggers can make it to the second round of the playoffs. 

“I believe any improvement from last year is success in our eyes. Success is also beating a team that beat us last year and making it out of the first round of playoffs. Those all could be viewed as success to us,” he said.

Moving from Class 5A to Class 4A last year offered some relief and allowed the Beetdiggers to be more competitive. Still, the region isn’t easy by any stretch. Quality opponents are in front of Jordan each game, which affords the girls a chance to rise up, play hard and develop their skills. Winning in Region 10 doesn’t come without commitment, effort and determination. 

“The biggest challenge are the teams we play in region,” Jahnke said. “I’m thankful for such a competitive region. We will face challenges head-on, learning from each match on how to fix things that need fixing and executing during matches. It’s going to take will and skill for us to overcome the challenges.”

Jordan faces all six Region 10 foes twice during the regular season. The final game is slated for Oct. 2 at Stansbury. If the Beetdiggers earn a high enough seed, they could secure a bye in the first round and a get a second-round home game. The 4A state playoffs begin Oct. 10. 

Win or lose, Jahnke loves coaching this group of girls. 

“These girls are great kids,” he said. “They have fun at training, but they also lock in when we need to. The biggest thing is they are hopeful. We will shoot for the stars this season and from now on. They believe we can do anything. That’s great to coach.” λ