Neil K. Warner

DAILY HERALD

It took Timpanogos just three minutes to make a statement for the 2004 season.

The Region 7 champs are back -- you want some of this?

Timpanogos used a hat trick from sophomore Stacey Bartholomew to power past Spanish Fork 9-0 in the high school girls soccer season opener Tuesday afternoon.

"I told the girls that we played an excellent soccer team today," said Spanish Fork coach Sara Atuaia. "They're an experienced team who won their region and they have everyone back."

Well, almost everyone.

Timpanogos lost just one starter off last year's Region 7 title team and it looked like the Timberwolves were in midseason form.

The fans hardly had chance to set up their chairs and umbrellas to block the sun when Bartholomew scored after she slipped behind the defense and beat Spanish Fork goalie Taryn Sandbakken on a one-on-one just three minutes into the game.

Timpanogos continued to keep the pressure on. Four minutes after Bartholomew scored, Mandy Valora found the left corner of the net from just outside the penalty box.

Timpanogos opened up a 3-0 lead 20 minutes into the game when Spanish Fork tried to clear the ball after a Timpanogos corner kick.

The Dons got the ball out near midfield, but a Timpanogos defender kicked it back to freshman Noel Sanders, who turned and caught the net from 25 yards away.

Timpanogos took a commanding 4-0 lead 28 minutes into the game when Bartholomew weaved through the Dons defense and fired a shot that Sandbakken got her hands on, but the ball still rolled into the net.

Meanwhile, the only thing more boring than playing goalie for Timpanogos would have been fishing in a fish-less pond.

Timpanogos keeper Sutton Cherrington touched the ball twice in the half. Once on a pass from a teammate and once on a Spanish Fork shot that dribbled toward her.

At one point in the first half, a Spanish Fork defender shouted, "Let's go forwards. We kick the ball up to you and nothing happens."

In the second half, Spanish Fork tried to get its offense going. Ginny Stahley took a free kick that backup keeper Allanna Snowden made a nice foot save on. But for the most part Timpanogos' defense was impenetrable.

Just for kicks, Timpanogos tacked on five more goals in the second half.

Sanders, a freshman, got free again and scored. Dana Oldroyd, also a freshman then scored off a corner kick and Bartholomew scored again to complete the hat trick. Shayla Adams scored the final two goals to finish Spanish Fork.

Adams also led Timpanogos in assists with three.

"This opened our eyes to what we need to work on for our next game," said Timpanogos coach Natalyn Lewis. "Overall, I was very pleased."

Timpanogos has a week off before getting a good test when the T'Wolves play at 5A power Brighton.

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