Defense leads Riverton boys soccer to glory as Utah state champion

RIVERTON, Utah – No one can argue against Riverton boasting Utah's best defense in soccer games where it counted the most.

The Silverwolves entered the Class 5A boys soccer playoffs having yielded just 11 goals in 16 regular season matches. Riverton never had to worry about seeing that number rise. The team's back line didn't allow a single goal through four matches – culminating in a 1-0 victory over Fremont (Plain City) in the Class 5A championship match.

See pro photographer Dave Argyle's photo gallery from the match

In the end, Riverton came away with its first state title in boys soccer. And that stifling defense served its ultimate purpose – laying a successful foundation for the Silverwolves' offense.

"Our goal was to win a game and then we won four," junior goalkeeper Parker Seegmiller said. "It's not the shutouts that matter. It's the points. It's the goals. It's winning."

Seegmiller certainly did his part to make those things possible. He led Utah with 12 shutouts in 20 games. Ten clean sheets came during Riverton's season-ending 12 game winning streak.

The Silverwolves gave up just 0.25 goals per match in those 12 games. It helped them string together the No. 2 scoring defense in Class 5A behind Viewmont (Bountiful), a team Riverton eliminated in the semifinals.

"They're all really solid on the ball," Riverton coach Paul Mozier said. "I mean, they don't misplay many balls. They all cover each other and they have each others' backs."

See the MaxPreps Utah boys soccer computer rankings

One reason for that solid on-ball play, Seegmiller said, stemmed from the team's versatility. They prepared well for each opponent and found ways to adapt how they attacked to that opponent's style of play.

Opponents had no way to combat it. For them, it seemed like the Silverwolves, at times, were reading pages straight out of their playbooks.

"We're really good at being versatile," Seegmiller said. "We can play lots of teams and we just work really well together. We work for each other and it shows."

Riverton's bond on the field showed in the championship game when the team rallied around senior defender Christian Evans and dedicated the game to him. Evans had been red-carded in the semifinal match against Viewmont and was forced to sit out the title game.

His teammates promised they would win it for him and did not miss a beat with Evans sitting on the sidelines.

"Nobody wanted anything more than to win this game for Christian," Mozier said. "That's all they were talking about. He was the guy who held up the trophy first. They're just a great group and they're always thinking of each other."

Riverton graduates 10 seniors from this year's championship team, so the Silverwolves will be plugging in plenty of new faces next spring. Regardless of whatever that team accomplishes, this group will not be soon forgotten because of the manner in which it finally won a state championship for the school.

Mozier can safely say he has never seen a defense quite like this one in all his years as a soccer coach.

"It's the best one I've ever coached," Mozier said.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. He can be reached at john_coon@hotmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports