The past few seasons have been successful ones for the Copper Hills girls soccer teams. Head coach Justin Hendrix is counting on this one being one to remember. 

The Grizzlies are coming off a strong 15-5 season where the team finished tied for second in a competitive Region 2 with a 9-3 mark. Copper Hills is eager to pick up where it left off last season and even exceed its 2024 accomplishments. The Grizzlies have to replace some key players from a year ago, but Hendrix said he has some good candidates waiting to shine.

“There is a lot of excitement within our program,” Hendrix said. “Competition is high as players see the opportunity to earn a new role or more minutes on the team. We are replacing some impactful seniors, but the returning players are still hungry and want to prove we can continue to be successful.”

Hendrix selected four captains for this year’s squad: senior defender Jemma Rose, senior midfielder Aerith Gomez, senior forward Anna Hendrix and junior forward Camila Palafox. These players bring leadership and production to the lineup. They’re highly skilled, reliable players who set the pace on and off the field for Copper Hills. As a coach, Hendrix can’t say enough about their abilities and what they mean to the team.

“[Palafox] is one of the most dynamic players in the state,” Hendrix said. “She is a returning All-State forward who is always a threat to score. Cam is also a very unselfish player. She leads our offensive attack. [Anna Hendrix] is a returning three-year varsity starter and an All-Region forward with great speed, endurance and technical ability. She’ll play various positions for us this year and will be key to our success. [Gomez] is a force in the midfield. She is a returning varsity starter and an All-Region midfielder who quietly does everything we ask of her. She’ll play a key role in holding the midfield, keeping us organized defensively and starting our attack. [Rose] is an elite defender anchoring our backline. She is a returning varsity starter and an All-Region defender with fantastic one-on-one defending ability. We’ll lean on her to lead our defense.”

Several other Grizzlies will contribute this season. Hendrix loves the play of junior midfielder Jasmine Cruz, saying that she “is a very strong midfielder” and “generates a lot of our offense through her skill.” Senior Made Hammon will see time at forward and in the midfield. Hendrix praised her vision, awareness and passing ability. Senior goalkeeper Cambi Robinson will be the last line of defense for Copper Hills, protecting the goal. Robinson is a first-year starter after waiting her turn behind other goalkeepers. Defenders Molly Mortensen (senior), Alyson Tikalsky (junior) and Natalie Salazar (junior) will also be critical players for Copper Hills. Sophomore midfielder Made Rider has made a good early impression. Then there are freshmen Josephine Cannon and Layla Anguiano, who play forward and midfielder, respectively. Hendrix can’t wait to see what they’ll bring to the team this season as young ninth graders. 

“[Cannon] has been an amazing addition to the team,” Hendrix said. “Her work ethic and effort are second to none. She has a tremendous future in store. We are really excited to have her join the team. She’s already had a huge impact on the team. [Anguiano] has tremendous potential. Layla has fantastic touch and vision. She just has a really high soccer IQ. Her role will grow as the season progresses.”

This season offers some challenges, particularly in the team’s schedule. The Grizzlies face some talented Region 2 foes, some of which are newcomers to the region. Copper Hills will once again contend with league opponents Bingham, Herriman, Mountain Ridge and Riverton. The Grizzlies will also see Cedar Valley, Salt Lake Academy and Westlake. 

However, Hendrix isn’t expecting a certain number of victories this season. He is focused on the girls playing hard, playing together and working hard to do their best. 

“How we play is a lot more important to me than the result,” he said. “We challenge our players to be focused, play with high energy and great effort and display a positive attitude. Those are the core values of our program. I believe if we train and play with those core values present, more often than not, we’ll get the results we want as well. But even if we come up short on the scoreboard, we can live with the results if we know we played the right way. We don't measure success by wins and losses but by how we play, how we compete and how we represent our program, our school and our community.”

How the players conduct themselves away from the field is more important than the team’s record, Hendrix said. 

The 2025 Grizzlies have set goals to have a team GPA average of 3.4, to graduate all the seniors, to be positive role models for female soccer players in the community and be recognized as a team that never stops fighting. 

Copper Hills’ players enjoy a tight-knit bond. Hendrix expects the Grizzlies to be a difficult team to beat each time they step onto the field. 

“We have a very strong team culture,” he said. “We’re very positive and supportive. New leaders have emerged and set a great example of how we work and how we compete. We play hard.  We won’t be an easy out for anyone. We’ll compete and put forth our best effort. We also have some very talented players.”