REGION 18 MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT: Cardinals move on to Region 18 final

HERRIMAN, Utah — This time, it was just different. 

No rain. 

No tie. 

No way the Cardinals were going to be denied. 

Jabari Holtkamp scored on an assist from sophomore Lennox Kern late in the first half for second-seeded North Idaho College in a 1-0 win over third-seeded Utah State-Eastern in the semifinals of the Region 18 Tournament at Zions Bank Stadium on Thursday. 

NIC (16-1-3) faces top-seeded Salt Lake (15-0-3) in the championship match on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT. The Bruins beat fourth-seeded Snow College 4-1 in the other semifinal on Thursday.

NIC tied Utah State-Eastern in SWAC play last Thursday in Price, Utah, in the rain.

Holtkamp, a freshman midfielder from Portsmouth, Va., scored in the 35th minute for NIC, which had three shots on goal.

"Jabari ripped a shot, and that's what we've been asking for out of our guys," NIC coach Brad Williams said. "It was a good goal, and he had other chances. Their keeper (Xavier Peregrina) has been the Keeper of the Week four times this year, so to get one past him today was pretty good. Jabari has really been impactful in each match he's played this season. He's had a lot of close calls, and now they're falling for him." 

NIC, ranked 10th in the latest NJCAA poll, and second-ranked Salt Lake tied in their first match of the season 1-1 on Sept. 26 in Worley, with the Bruins winning the conference title last Saturday with a 3-0 win over NIC in Herriman. 

"I think it will be a different matchup this time," Williams said. "Salt Lake had to play Snow today, and they're a tough game. With all things equal, I think we're the better team. Salt Lake is a ferocious competition, but I think we can match them." 

Saturday's winner automatically qualifies for the NJCAA Championships Nov. 15-21 in Wichita, Kan. The runner-up could qualify for one of four at-large bids to the 12-team championship tournament, to be announced next week.

"We're hoping this win gets us into nationals, but Saturday definitely will," Williams said. "We want to prove we can beat Salt Lake. I want to win and our team wants to win. I think we're healthy enough to get through. It will be a big game for us." 

Utah State-Eastern finished 10-5-4. 

First half — 1, NIC, Jabari Holtkamp (Lennox Kern), 34:46. Second half — none. 

Shots on goal — USUE 6, NIC 3. 

Saves — USUE, Xavier Peregrina 2; NIC, Taylor Corpron 6. 

REGION 18 MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT

At Zions Bank Stadium

Herriman, Utah

Semifinals

Thursday's Games

Salt Lake 4, Snow 1

North Idaho 1, Utah State-Eastern 0

Championship

Saturday's Game

North Idaho (16-1-3) vs. Salt Lake (15-0-3), 1 p.m.

REGION 18 WOMEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT

At Zions Bank Stadium

Herriman, Utah

Semifinals

Thursday's Games

Salt Lake 2, Utah State-Eastern 0

Snow 5, Southern Idaho 1

Championship

Saturday's Game

Snow (10-4-3) vs. Salt Lake (14-1-3), 10 a.m.