When Davis High’s Anna Maria Gilbertson scored less than 90 seconds into Tuesday’s soccer contest with visiting Elk Grove, it looked like the nation’s No. 3 prep team would carve out another laugher.

But more than 73 minutes later, the game was still in doubt — tied 1-1.

Only when Blue Devil defender Dana Granger’s entry pass found Jennie Hawkins in the box for the game-winner at 75:05 did concerned DHS fans start breathing again.

The win gives Davis a 12-0-1 mark — 2-0 in the Delta Valley Conference — while the Thundering Herd went home at 4-3-2 (1-1 in DVC).

“After Anna scored early, I told Brigsy (assistant coach Melissa Briggs), ‘That’s what we needed,’ ” veteran DHS mentor Allen Carlson said afterward. “Brigsy immediately said ‘I don’t know about that …’

“She was right. Brigsy and I could see from (that goal) our level of play drop and we started making mental errors.”

The vaunted Devil defense was still solid as iron, but its usual oomph pushing the ball goalward was missing.

Despite Davis outshooting Elk Grove, 9-2, the score remained 1-0 with 1:42 to intermission.

At that point, midfielder Morgan Miller took a 24-yard set piece for the Herd. She managed to sneak a rocket past DHS goalie Maddy Purves as the knuckling ball and Purves’ attempt at a punch-out missed one another, and a stunned DHS squad was asked to regroup at the break.

A hallmark of the Blue Devils outscoring their opponents 53-2 through Tuesday was how quickly their back line retrieves and redirects the ball when foes try to attack. Pinpoint passing and playing the ball in the air were not part of the Davis effort on Tuesday.

“We couldn’t get the balls out of the air … (we told them) at halftime that there were too many unforced errors. It was pretty plain and simple,” Briggs explained.

But the blues continued for the Devils …

Carlson and Briggs gave credit to Elk Grove, which brought an even more physical second half to Yudin Field. While defenders Allie Muller, Granger, Ali Yule and Ari Heyer weren’t exactly in attack mode, they still held the Thundering Herd at bay.

In the game, each team had two meaningless corner kicks, but DHS outshot its cross-causeway rivals, 22-5.

The Granger-to-Hawkins pass was a reminder of how important the defense’s redirect game has been to the Devils’ climb in the national polls.

“I thought for a second, at the beginning, ‘Here is another 10-0 game.’ But Brigsy was right,” Carlson said, finally laughing. “We dodged a bullet.”

Notes: As Carlson has done all season, he split chores between goalies. Hannah Gendron offered a clean second-half slate. … The Miller goal was the first allowed by Davis since a 2-1 St. Mary’s Tournament championship game win over the host Rams on Feb. 26. … Powerade’s Fab 50 (part of ESPN/Rise) ranks the Blue Devils 14th in the land. Adidas’ first poll put the locals at No. 3 (next poll April 12). Harrison High of Georgia is No. 1 in the Adidas coaches poll and Neuqua Valley (Illinois) is No. 1, according to Powerade. … Just up from junior varsity, Clara Goin has been sparkling at midfield. “She gives us another look in the middle … and better ball-handling,” Briggs said. “She played well (Tuesday).” Carlson hinted Goin would get a start Thursday at Franklin (4 p.m.). FYI: Juneau-Douglas High, a 6-0 loser to DHS on Friday, whipped Monterey Trail, 7-0, Saturday before hurrying home.

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047. To view galleries and purchase prints of Blue Devil sports photos, visit http://davisenterprise.zenfolio.com

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DHS’ Dana Granger jumps into teammate Jennie Hawkins’ arms on Tuesday after Granger set Hawkins up for the game-winning goal of the Blue Devils’ 2-1 victory over Elk Grove at Yudin Field. Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo

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