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HERRIMAN — Aurier Pack has made that cross so many times in high school and club soccer, the right winger could probably do it in her sleep.
There was nothing about the American Heritage freshman's pass to set up the game-winning goal Thursday in a 2A girls soccer state semifinal.
Pack found Sadie Stratton around the penaly spot, and the sophomore needed just one touch before sliding what turned out to be the match-winner to lift the top-seeded Patriots past St. Joseph 2-1 at Zions Bank Stadium.
"It's just lots of practice, working down the stripe, for years and years," Pack said, before rating her teammate Stratton's finishing touch: "It was good. Really good."
After a scoreless first half that found the Jayhawks on the front foot in the final five minutes, American Heritage change the tone of the game — to say nothing of the scoreline — in about four minutes.
Ada Werner opened the scoring just after the hour mark, when the Patriots freshman scored her 11th goal of the season after dribbling through traffic in the 62nd minute and slotting a ball from 20 yards out inside the right corner.
"They started out being a little bit nervous," said American Heritage coach Eleonor Stafford, whose team advanced to the state final for the first time in program history. "But I just reminded them to lock in, to take deep breathes while we played, and find those easy-go passes and finish our crosses.
"That's usually our play: We go down the line on the side, cross it in, and finish it. Picture perfect."
Stratton doubled the advantage just over two minutes later, ripping her team-high 32nd goal from Pack's 18th assist to seal the victory for American Heritage (16-3), who went unbeaten in 2A Region 17 to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Jaci Coles pulled one back with just over two minutes remaining for St. Joseph (13-6), but the deficit was too much for the fifth-seeded Jayhawks.
Four years after Stafford arrived at the American Fork-based private school, the Patriots are in the state final for the first time, outscoring opponents 21-1 in three 2A tournament games — and with the first-ever junior varsity team in program history.
The circumstances aren't unrelated, Stafford noted, saying that American Heritage simply lacked the numbers for two full teams — and practice sessions that came with them — before her second season as head coach.
"It's been a work in progress," said Stafford, whose team consists of 12 freshmen and five sophomores. "I just tried to go recruit and see who wanted to be on the team, even if you didn't play soccer.
"Even the ones who didn't play before, they improved so much. It just helped our varsity team to be on their toes."
The Patriots will face second-seeded Waterford in the 2A championship at 2 p.m. MDT Saturday at Zions Bank Stadium.
The Ravens (12-3) used a pair of goals off set pieces by Grace Morris and Milana Massinople to pull away from rival Rowland Hall 3-0 in the second semifinal.
Morris opened the scoring in the 10th minute, bending a free kick from 25 yards out underneath the crossbar for her team-high 21st goal of the season en route to a 1-0 halftime lead.
Massinople doubled the advantage in the 48th minute, slicing an Olimpico from the left corner for her 10th goal of the year and the 2-0 advantage over the third-seeded Winged Lions (8-6).
"We practice set pieces a lot in practice, corners, crosses; it's a big piece of our team," Morris said. "I felt like we capitalized on those today. It was a good win."
Caroline Madsen added a goal in the final minute for Waterford.
