Lady Templar record gets team

a bye for first round at state

By Matt Haris 

Staff writer

10-22-2020

MANTI—For the second year in a row, RPI rankings are putting the Lady Templars on top of the pack, and through three rounds, they’re letting everyone know why.

The Manti girls’ soccer team earned a bye through the first round of the 3A state playoffs and subsequently blazed through the second round and quarterfinals, beating Grand and Grantsville each by scores of 7-0.

The Lady Templars are 17-1 on the season and have won 14 straight games, 12 of them shutouts. They have also scored more goals in this playoff than any other team.

Against Grand, it was senior Ally Squire who starred with a hat trick for Manti, along with two steals, six points overall. It was the second hat trick of the season for Squire, who now has 20 total goals scored for the year.

Senior Kassidy Alder, juniors Breanne Wayman and Katelyn Crouch, and sophomore Alivya Osborne each scored a goal as well. Sophomore Morgan Chidester facilitated with two assists.

Against No. 8 Grantsville, Wayman could not be stopped, as the junior scored four goals unassisted. Squire, Osborn, and Chidester scored a goal apiece, and Alder had three assists as the Lady Templars were up 4-0 at the half and had 34 total steals in yet another defensive shutdown.

Manti faced Juab after press time last Wednesday, one of the only teams to score on the Lady Templars this year. Provided they win, Manti will face either Morgan or Judge Memorial in the championship game next Monday. Both teams have a history with Manti, as Judge Memorial lost last year’s title game to the Lady Templars, and Morgan is the only team that beat Manti this year.