State 4A championship for Skyline tennis team

Under the direction of coach Shonnie Hays, this season the Skyline girls’ tennis team not only captured the Region 7 title, but swept up the 4A state championship for the third straight year, taking first or second place at every division at the meet, held at Liberty Park Oct. 7-8

Senior Alyssa Evensen (with a 12-0 season record) took second place in the first singles match; junior Erin Blessing (12-0) was first in the second singles match and junior Syd Monson (9-3) took first place in the third singles match.

Seniors Analisa Nielson and Suzanna Garbett (11-1) took second place in the first doubles match and junior Emily Love and senior Nicole Evensen finished second in the second doubles match.

"This was a great group of girls, and a very strong season,” Hays said. "We had a great time being in 4A as well. It's a wonderful region with terrific coaches. They were amiable and easy to work with.”

Skyline girls soccer

It came down to one goal. After a deliberately tough preseason, a challenging season lineup and a 16-4 record for the year, the Skyline girls soccer team lost a heartbreaking1-0 to Timpanogos in the state 4A championship game at Rio Tinto Stadium Oct. 21.

“I told the girls before the game that if we could hold Timpanogos scoreless in the first 10 minutes, we could win the game,” coach Yamil Castillo said. “But Timpanogos came out strong and scored at a minute and four seconds in. That was it.”

The Eagles stood up to tough competition throughout the year.

“I think we had a harder schedule than others,” Castillo said. “It was a challenge to keep coming back week after week. In the end, we played a team [Timpanogos] that had won three out of four championships and had lost to Bonneville, a team that we handled pretty good.”

Despite the disappointment, Castillo is positive about his team—not only for advancing farther in the playoffs this year than last (Skyline lost 1-0 in the semifinals last year to Viewmont in overtime,) but also about next year’s team.

“We only lose two seniors, and we have nine juniors coming back,” he said. “With the experience we got at the tournament this year, and the girls seeing what we could do, we will be all the better for it next year.”

Boys golf  

The Eagle golf team took fifth place in state Oct. 3-4 at Hobble Creek Golf Course in Springville. Representing Skyline were senior Travis Norseth, who completed the two-day tournament with 146 strokes, senior Scott Anderson (160) and junior Chason Heywood (162), sophomores Conner Merkley (181) and Ben Angilau (170) and senior Trent Ward (182).