Boys' soccer: Elders posts clean sheet in East's win over Ogden

Ogden • The East Leopards got right back to their winning ways after a 17-day break by knocking off first-place Ogden with a commanding 3-0 performance Tuesday on the rain-soaked field at the Ogden Community Sports Complex.

"I was very nervous," East coach Rudy Schenk said. "Historically, coming off a spring break, we have not played particularly well. But we had a good practice [Monday] and that was something we needed. It was intense. Sometimes the break is good, sometimes it's not. But with a 'glass half full' mentality, it was good today."

East got off to a hot start by scoring in the 10th minute. The Leopards proved early that they could get behind the Ogden backline, and this time forwards Matt Barker and Jacksen Skinlo timed their runs perfectly to once again get ahead of the final Tigers defenders. With no one but the goalkeeper left to beat, Barker played a ball across the face of goal that Skinlo finished at the far post to open the scoring.

East midfielder Yves Govina doubled his team's lead near the midway point of the first half when he too found space behind the Ogden backline. He hung back with the Ogden defenders until the ball hit open space in front of him. That's when the quick-footed senior pulled away and slotted home another one-on-one chance against the goalkeeper for the 2-0 halftime lead.

Ogden came out firing to open the second half, but the Tigers' shots continually skipped past the posts and narrowly over the crossbar.

The Leopards sealed the win when Barker once again got in on the scoring, this time as the goal scorer with a curling free kick just outside the 18-yard box that left the Ogden goalkeeper standing in disbelief.

"Originally, I wasn't even going to take it," Barker said about free-kick goal. "Yves was going to take it but then he said, 'Look at the keeper' about where he was in the goal. So I just said, 'All right,' and floated it in. I don't think the keeper was expecting it."

East goalkeeper Trever Elders turned in an outstanding performance against the highest scoring team in the region. He continually was called upon in the second half and made some key saves at the doorstep of his goal> It was only the second time Ogden has been shut out this season.

"It's great to go on the road and get a win, the points, a shutout, three goals and to just dominate the game like we did," Elders said. "It's really going to help out our confidence a lot when they have to come play at East. We'll be looking forward to it." —

East 3, Ogden 0

• Senior captain Matt Barker scores a goal and adds an assist in the win.

• Goalkeeper Trevor Elders and the Leopard defense becomes the second team (Box Elder) to shut out Ogden this season. • East pushes its winning streak to four games, improving to 7-3 overall and 5-1 to take the top spot in Region 5.