BY TIM ALLEN

Starting from the beginning. the differences between the two teams that faced off against each other last week in Centerville were night and day.
Davis shocked Viewmont 3-2 in region play.
First the visiting Davis Darts whose season has seemed like a car starting on a cold winter day.
Seemingly frigid, the Darts suffered an opening game loss, followed that up with a lukewarm tie, then started running fine as they ran off two all-important region wins in a row heading into this contest with Viewmont.
The Vikes, comparing them to a car, were coming off a NASCAR-like beginning in a season which has found them in the No. 2 spot in state at 5-0.
Scoring 26 goals in just five games and already recording three shutouts, the handling of a cold starting car would seem to be no problem.
It seemed that before the Vikings could even tie their cleats the Darts had the momentum. Shocking the Viking defense was Davis forward Zac Dupaix as he took advantage of a defensive breakdown by Viewmont and snuck a breakaway to the back of the net within the first minute of play.
As if that quick of a start wasn't enough for Dupaix, he popped a header past the Viking goalie for a second goal not three minutes later.
Startled and visibly shaken, Viewmont worked hard to gain the control of this contest. But the lack of aggression on defense led to a sort of over aggression on offense as multiple scoring opportunities were missed.
Davis on the other hand took advantage of yet another missed defensive assignment by Viewmont and found themselves on a two--on-one break-away on which Jacob Shaw took a Dupaix pass and sent it home.
Viewmont then went to the most experienced player they had.
Viewmont found him in senior Jaden Evans, whose speed wore down the Davis defense and was able to sneak one past them for a lead chipping goal and went into the half down two.
The second half had a much different feel.
Davis coach Shawn Johnson said of the intense half, "I am not even going to pretend that we were in control. Viewmont is a phenomenal team who attacked us like crazy."
And attack they did.
Ball after ball was pushed toward the Davis goal as from start to finish of the final 40 minutes was controlled by the Vikings' who seemed to be fighting for their lives.
In just moments this intensity paid off when Viking forward Andy Bell pounded one in cutting the once large lead to just one.
The next 38 minutes could be given a very specific title to sum up the events which occurred. It would be called the story of the tying goal that almost was.
As much as Viewmont pushed the ball, its shots were missing like a blind man with a dart board.
Shot after sailing shot missed the Davis goal and kept the Vikings from tying this game up at three. But if the missed shots were one part of the story, the play of Davis goalie Larry Caldwell was the other.
At one point the athletic goalie made three spectacular diving saves and a fourth which may have separated his shoulder.
"All I could think when I saw Larry go up and make that first diving save was 'that is a game changer,'" said Johnson of his star goalie's performance.
A game changer it was as the Dart defense did everything right to hold off the Viking attack to hand Viewmont its first loss in the season and gain possession of first place in region. Johnson spoke to his team after the well-earned victory, "That, boys, is what we needed to do."