The fast-paced sport of lacrosse often features a lot of scoring and offensive fireworks, so it’s always helpful to have a strong defense. Lucky for the Mountain Ridge Sentinels, defense has been a strength. 

The Sentinels went 3-2 in Region 2, placing third behind top-ranked Corner Canyon as well as Herriman. Overall, the Sentinels were 12-5 during the regular season. Mountain Ridge then defeated Lehi at home by the score of 6-5 in the second round of the Class 6A state tournament. Through 18 games, heading into the quarterfinals on May 17, Mountain Ridge had allowed 8.2 goals per game, a solid clip, especially considering the formidable foes the team faced. 

The tough job of guarding the net this season belonged to senior Matthew Wittwer. This season, through the second-round victory, Wittwer had made 308 saves, a mark that was No. 1 in the entire state. Wittwer made more than 17 saves a contest.

When Wittwer talks about his experience on the team, he doesn’t mention personal stats or accomplishments. Instead, the humble goalkeeper is quick to praise his coaches and teammates. 

“I love the culture we have established here at Mountain Ridge,” he said. “We work hard and are always trying to win but then also having fun at the same time. Our coaches are amazing and are always pushing us but still let us have fun. That’s all I could ever ask for.”

Wittwer started playing lacrosse just four years ago as a freshman. It was an aunt (who had played lacrosse) who got him interested in picking up the sport. He loves the feeling of winning a game and seeing all his hard work pay off. 

“The best part of competing is winning,” he said. “Victory is the end goal, and so we push ourselves to always get better and win as much as we can. I keep competing for the challenge of it. I might not win every game, but if I am challenging myself, then I will keep trying.”

In addition to stopping shots and being the most difficult goalie in the state to score on, Wittwer is a good leader. He has been an example for other players and is someone his teammates can rely on. 

“One of my strengths is having empathy for the other players,” he said. “As a leader, it is my responsibility to help the members of my team, and having that connection with them makes that much easier. I am also very blessed to be athletic and to be able to keep up with everyone on the team even as a goalie. I tend to be a pretty intellectual guy and can learn things quickly and that too has helped me a lot in lacrosse.”

In his final season, Wittwer wanted to go out with a bang. 

 “As a senior, I am just trying to soak in every single moment of lacrosse that I have left and so I’m going to work hard to make sure we keep winning as many games as we can,” he said prior to the end of the season.

After graduation, Wittwer has big plans. He intends to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then attend Brigham Young University. Eventually, he wants to become an orthopedic surgeon. 

Wittwer has plenty of help on defense to back him up. 

Teammate Brody Gardner is a steady defender who makes Wittwer’s job easier. Gardner caused 20 turnovers and had 30 ground balls through the team’s regular season and first playoff game. The senior is a tough competitor who thrives on developing his skills and playing alongside his teammates. 

“What I love most about competing is being able to push myself every game,” Gardner said. “I keep competing because I love the sport and the people I get to play with while also improving my abilities each day.”

As a fourth grader, Gardner had a friend who encouraged him to start playing lacrosse. The game appealed to Gardner and has been hooked ever since. Being a member of the Mountain Ridge team has been a memorable experience. He is grateful for his teammates and coaches, especially the passion and commitment they have for the game. 

“I love our effort and energy,” he said. “As players we do our best to play hard and play the best we can. I also love our coaches coming into the program over the past two years and seeing our potential as a team and really pushing us toward that.”

Gardner is a strong one-on-one defender who possess good communication skills on the field. He understands his role on the team as well as the roles his teammates play. This season, Gardner has worked hard to improve his ground balls and transition play. 

Like Wittwer, Gardner is a goal-oriented young man. He has set some clear objectives and knows what he’s after in life. 

“My plans after high school are to go continue my academics and athletics at the University of Mount Olive in North Carolina,” he said. “I plan to get my pilot’s license and major in business out there as well as enjoying the next four years playing high-level lacrosse.” λ