High school boys soccer: Jace Rodriguez’s late game-winner clinches Ogden a 3A 3-peat

Jace Rodriguez has scored a lot of goals during his Ogden High School career, over 70 in fact.

His final goal in a Tiger uniform on Monday afternoon is arguably the biggest of his career.

Rodriguez scored the only goal in the 3A championship game at Zions Bank Stadium, a 66^th minute tally on an assist from Harry Hoskins, as Ogden eked out the 1-0 win over Morgan for its 43^rd straight win and third consecutive state championship.

“This one was way different. My last goal of my high school career,” said Rodriguez. “Nothing better than that three-peat. That felt good.”

Ogden coach Todd Scott said once the winning streak passed 30 he stopped keeping track as that’s never been the goal. Everyone in that department is a bonus as the end goal of winning a state championship is all he cares about.

“I’ve been fortunate to have just great boys, but seeing them year-round makes a big difference and then being on campus and having them in class, honestly,” said Scott. “And so just having that bond, that brotherly and family bond, I think that’s what we pride ourselves and that’s why we’re able to kind of stick together.”

Temperatures on the turf at Zions Bank Stadium were over 90 degrees, and during the second half hydration break round the 60^th minute, Rodriguez was subbed off in an effort by the coaches to keep players fresh.

Naturally, Rodriguez stood on the sideline just itching to get back in the match as the minutes ticked away on the scoreless match.

Less than a minute after re-entering, but put his final stamp on the season.

The play developed up the left sideline as Andrew Pierce nutmegged a Morgan winger freeing up space to dribble into up field, which pulled Morgan out of its defensive shape. Pierce squared a pass to a wide-open Harry Hoskins in the middle of the field who had no one within 10 yards of him.

Hoskins was able to dribble straight at Morgan’s back line, with three teammates making runs toward the box. Eventually one of the Trojans’ center backs stepped toward Hoskins to slow his run, and that’s when he slipped a perfectly-weighted ball into the path of Rodriguez, who got there first and tucked a left-footed shot past the keeper with than 14 minutes remaining in the game.

“I couldn’t believe it. I subbed off at the water break and I came right back on and one of my coaches, JJ (Muniz) said ‘This is your moment, this is your last game.’ And I got emotional and I scored and I ran straight over to the corner flag and I started crying with my boys,” said the senior USU Eastern commit.

Rodriguez said this year’s 16-0 season had different challenges than a year ago as the program’s depth really got challenged with a lot of new contributors this season. He was proud of how that depth became an asset as the year wore on.

Two of Ogden’s toughest games during the regular season came against Ogden, including a 3-2 win and then a win in penalties.

Scott fully expected another grind in the championship game as the team’s tried to made adjustments and exploit any advantages they could.

“Morgan always comes in, they give us a good battle. They’re well-coached and we knew that they were going to bring their A game, especially here with the championship game and we just made a little adjustments, but basically being disciplined and stay home and doing our job,” said Scott.

As a group, Ogden stayed composed defensively as a group and kept the clean sheet so that Rodriguez’s tally proved to be the game winner.

Scott wasn’t surprised at all that it was Rodriguez who clinched it.

“He puts in the extra work. I’ve been coaching these boys since eighth grade and he’s just a workhorse, you know, and he wants it. It’s a mental aspect, always tell my boys it’s 90/10, 10% physical, 90% mental and he always brings it,” said Scott. “You’ve got to have that drive because as teenagers you lose focus real quick, but he just has that drive.”

Morgan’s best chances of the match ironically enough didn’t come until the frantic final three minutes of the match as Ogden’s defenders scrambled to clear dangerous balls in the box and keeper Xavier Peregrino was forced into a handful of championship-level saves.

That included punching away a 22-yard dipping free kick with just a minute remaining.

“Oh my goodness. I mean Xavier, he’s the best keeper in the state for a reason. he’s unbelievable. No one expects him to be good because he’s not the tallest keeper but he is seriously the best keeper that I’ve ever played with in my life,” said Rodriguez.