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Ogden rally denies Manti 3A girls soccer title

BySanpete Messenger

By William Cheshire

HERRIMAN—The No. 1 Manti High School girls soccer team came within minutes of capturing a state championship Saturday before No. 2 Ogden rallied for a 2-1 victory at Zions Bank Stadium.

Manti High School senior McKinzee Chidester prepares to strike the ball during girls soccer action
Manti High School senior McKinzee Chidester prepares to strike the ball during girls soccer action. Chidester scored her 24th goal of the season in the Templars’ 2-1 loss to Ogden in the 3A state championship game Saturday in Herriman. Photo by Kyle Parry.

The game was a rematch of the 2024 championship, with the Templars looking to claim the state title against the Ogden Tigers.

Both defenses held firm through the first 65 minutes before Manti senior McKinzee Chidester broke the scoreless tie with her 24th goal of the season. Junior captain Madelyn Bridges provided the assist, giving the Templars a 1-0 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Ogden responded about 10 minutes later when senior Elle Weston, the reigning 3A player of the year who has committed to play for Baylor University in Waco, Texas, scored on a header to even the match at 1-1.

With overtime approaching, Weston struck again, firing a shot from outside the penalty area into the right side of the net with less than a minute remaining.

The late goal secured Ogden’s second consecutive 3A girls soccer state championship.

Despite the loss, the Templars could take pride in the fact that Chidester’s 24th goal gave the Templars a lead that held until the closing minutes of the championship match.