Prep boys' soccer: Last season's disappointment fuels Hillcrest

It's not hard for the Hillcrest boys' soccer team members to remember an overtime goal given up to Logan last season. That was the goal that sent the Huskies into the offseason.

"There was 10 seconds left in overtime, and they shot just over our keeper's head. It was tough," said Eric Walker, a senior goalie for Hillcrest this season. "We kind of stopped because we saw the time was running down, everyone just kind of stopped moving and their forward got a lucky strike."

"Last year was a disappointment," said teammate Trentin Atkin, also a senior. "We had a lot of talent on the team but couldn't make it connect. But I don't really worry too much about the past, just what's next."

Indeed, the Huskies are off to a good start in 2013 as they won their first five games before falling to Park City last week.

What's on the mind of Hillcrest coach Brett Davis, now in his ninth season, is how well the preseason will translate into success during region play.

"It's hard to judge too much from preseason because a lot of schools like us play a lot of players who may not see time in region," Davis said. "I think we have a really good chance of making the playoffs. How deep we'll go? It'll depend on which school is peaking at the right moment."

"I think we can go a long way if we peak at the right time," said Walker, who shares time in goal with sophomore Jorge Cisneros. "So far we've done really well with the personnel that we've used. I think what's best about us is our back-line movement and our passing through the midfield."

The Huskies' offensive attack is paced by Atkin, Ali Kalikish and Chandler Boyd, who collectively tallied 15 goals in the team's season-opening win streak. Atkin and Kalikish, according to the Huskies' coach, also have some of the best goals-per-game numbers in Class 4A.

"This is a solid team, and I think they've got a good chance in their particular region," Davis said. "They're gelling together. Still got a little work to do, but so far so good."