High school boys soccer: Crimson Cliffs’ defense shines in 4A championship win against Region 9 foe Dixie

All season Dixie has had a blistering hot offense that has generated nearly four goals a game. Only Murray scored more goals this season in 4A, and the Flyers were not shut out once.

That is until Dixie met Crimson Cliffs in the 4A championship on Thursday.

The Region 9 foes are all too familiar with each other, and Dixie won both region matchups in the regular season.

The Mustangs played like a completely different team on Thursday though as they dominated Dixie 3-0 for their second boys soccer title since the school opened in 2019.

Finishing was not an issue for Crimson Cliffs Thursday as it often has been this year, but instead one of its biggest strengths. The Mustangs didn’t get a lot of chances to score, but they capitalized when they came.

“Finishing, to be completely blunt with you,” Crimson Cliffs head coach Isaac Klingonsmith said of the issues his team had against Dixie in the regular season.

“In the second game we had three big chances in the first half, did not score. They got a goal right to the end of the half and we kept the pressure up, but then (Dixie) managed the game very well. It’s just honestly, if we finish, then we do well and we get results. If we don’t, that’s the three losses we had. We just didn’t finish as well as we wanted to.”

On Thursday, Dixie often dominated possession of the ball but the first to strike was Crimson Cliffs’ Ezekiel Weir just three minutes before halftime when he took advantage of a ricocheted ball off the Dixie keeper and redirected it back into the goal.

Just as it did in its semifinal against Mountain View, Crimson Cliffs then scored in the opening moments of the second half, this time off the foot of Bitner Mitchell in the 43rd minute.

Mitchell wasn’t done, as he scored yet again in the 73rd minute to take the commanding 3-0 lead.

“It’s unbelievable. What a dream,” Mitchell said. “I couldn’t do (anything) without my team. It’s amazing.”

While the Mustangs’ offense showed out in the championship win, their defense was just as strong.

Defense has been a large part of Crimson Cliffs’ identity all year long, as the Mustangs only allowed 14 goals all season, the fewest in 4A and third fewest in the state.

The defense averaged just 0.74 goals allowed per game.

While the 3-0 score was certainly convincing, it doesn’t show just how impressive the defensive performance was, as the Mustangs’ backline was pushed throughout the game but especially in the second half.

At the helm of the defense is senior keeper Brody Fielding, who recorded his ninth shutout of the season in Thursdays victory.

“I think our defense is probably our best part of our game,” Fielding said. “I say our offense wins games, but defense wins championships and I think that’s true.

“Our defense is incredible. We showed up, we shut down in games that matter. Being able to have a state championship game with a clean sheet is not something you see every day.”

Crimson Cliffs didn’t have to wait long to reclaim the 4A title after last winning it in 2022.

“There was less pressure, and to be honest, we lost to (Dixie) twice and so there’s less pressure on us to win because we had already lost,” Klingonson said.

“The boys came in with great mentality and and took care of business. It was very exciting.”