By Laurie Maddox
WSL Special Correspondent
BOUNTIFUL, Utah – It seemed all but inevitable.
Alta’s domination of the Utah Lacrosse Association’s high school girls lacrosse season remained unchecked to the end, as the Hawks rolled to a second straight Division I state championship with a 19-3 rout of Riverton.
Alta’s victory in the state title game Saturday at Viewmont High School capped a 40-1 run over the past three seasons, with the Hawks’ last loss occurring in the quarterfinals in 2008.
This season, the 17th-ranked Hawks (15-0) have outscored their opponents, 288-49, and Alta has now won 28 straight games.
The juggernaut continued Saturday with four Alta players scoring three goals apiece. Junior midfielder Kenzie Sieverts led the way with three goals and two assists for a game-high five points.
The other hat tricks were recorded by junior attack Nancy Linford, sophomore midfielder Malia Stephens and senior middie Taylor Dunn, who also finished with one assist and game MVP honors that were shared with Riverton goalie Megan McCleary.
McCleary’s 19 saves for Riverton (12-3) matched the number of goals allowed. Alta goalie Jordan Boyce saved nine by comparison, allowing one goal each from Peyton Evans, McKenzie Billings and Emily Newman.
Riverton struck first six-and-a-half minutes into the game but would not get on the board again until five minutes into the second half. Alta controlled most of the draws and the tempo throughout, at some intervals scoring a goal a minute.
“They were the better team today,” Riverton Coach David Oka said. “We had about five shots on goal that if they’d been an inch one way or the other I think we could have competed.”
Dunn, a 2010 U.S. Lacrosse High School All-American selection, said the team focused all season on turnovers, interceptions, checks ... “everything to get it down on our end.”
“Everyone on the whole team feels that they are defenders,” added senior co-captain Danielle DeWaal. “And defense wins championships.”
Rounding out the scoring for Alta were Shayna Hunt with two goals, Regina Farley with a goal and assist, and one goal each from DeWaal, Angie Olsen, Hannah Choi and Jessica Staples.
Alta head coach Megan Gorringe, herself a state champion player from the first Jordan girls championship team of 2004, was circumspect about Alta’s chances for a three-peat next year or a dynasty in the making.
“You never know,” she said. “But we only graduate five this year, so we should be very competitive next year as well.”