Page 29 - 2020-21 Soccer State Finals Program

Last Year’s State Finals in Review Last Year’s State Finals in Review

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI WINS 2A GIRLS TITLE NOBLESVILLE WINS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH APPEARANCE

A new class, but the same result for Evansville Mater Dei. Sophomore Kiana Siefert’s goal in the 44th minute lifted Carmel outshot Noblesville, 14-11 and had an 8-6 advan-
second-ranked Noblesville to a 1-0 victory over No. 1 tage in shots on goal. Noblesville goalkeeper Sarah Kile
Coach Amy Weber’s Wildcats captured their third consecutive Carmel in the Class 3-A girls state championship game. had seven saves.
state championship with a 2-0 win over Fort Wayne Dwenger in
the Class 2-A girls title game. Mater Dei had previously won the
Class A titles the previous two seasons. The finals appearance In a game that proved as closely matched as expected, The teams had met previously and finished in a 1-1 tie.
marked the fifth in the last six seasons for No. 4 Mater Dei, Siefert’s goal came after a cross pass from Jenna Chat-
which lost in the 1-A finals in 2014 and 2015. terton from eight yards out.
The Wildcats (16-6-1) opened the scoring in the 21st minute
when Megan Gries netted her ninth goal of the year with a shot The win for the Millers and coach Mike Brady is the first in
from seven yards out. Lexi Kassenbrock was credited with the three state-championship game appearances. Noblesville
assist. (17-0-3) lost in the title game in 2000 and 2008.
The insurance goal came in the 73rd minute when Este Bon-
nell, a freshman, blasted in a free kick from 19 yards out. Bon- The loss denied Carmel (18-1-3) and long-time head coach
nell had been stopped on a free kick just a few minutes earlier. Frank Dixon a state-best 11th championship. The Grey-
hounds are now 10-4 all-time in state title games.
Goalkeeper Sabrina Henderson did the rest, recording the shut-
out with five saves. Mater Dei held a 15-5 advantage in shots.
The game was the second and final matchup of No. 1 and
Dwenger, coached by James Ewing, was also seeking its third No. 2 teams in the championship round. Second-ranked
state title in program history after winning Class 2-A in 2005 Park Tudor beat top-ranked Lafayette Central Catholic in
and 2006. The Saints were also runners-up in 2007. Dwenger the Class A girls contest.
finishes 13-5-1.

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 5-0 IN STATE TITLE MATCHES ZIONSVILLE CLAIMS STATE TITLE AFTER SETTLING FOR RUNNER-UP FINISH IN 2018

Two first-half goals by Evansville Memorial’s Isaac Bennett Two goals in the 62nd minute and an insurance tally in Weidner then added an insurance goal in the 78th minute as
proved enough for the Tigers to claim a 2-1 victory over the 78th minute finally completed the journey to a state Zionsville finished with a 23-3 advantage in shots.
South Bend Saint Joseph in the Class 2A boys champion- championship for No. 1-ranked Zionsville.
ship game. The win makes Zionsville the first boys team to finish with a perfect
The Eagles of coach Rob Jordan lost in overtime of the record (21-0) since Carmel in 2006.
Bennett scored in the 22nd minute and in the 34th minute Class 3-A boys state title game in 2018, but reached the
as the Tigers dominated in the first half with the stiff breeze mountain top this time with a 3-1 victory over Lake Central. Coach Jereme Rainwater’s Indians finish 12-6-3.
at their back.
The contest featured the only unranked team (LC) in any
Memorial now improved to 5-0 all-time in state champion- of the state title games (boys or girls) against the only
unbeaten and untied team (boys or girls) entering the state
ship games, winning previously in 2007, 2008, 2016 and finals.
2017 – all under long-time head coach Bill Vieth.
Still, well into the second half, Lake Central held strong by
The Tigers also finished 17-3-2 this season, but won all 15 forging a scoreless tie at halftime despite being outshot,
games played against Indiana schools. 10-2, to that point. The Indians broke through in the 54th
minute when Jakob Noldin scored on an assist from Tre
Saint Joseph did hang tough in the second half, cutting the Adams.
lead in half in the 53rd minute when Kyle Smith came up
with an Adan Aguilar pass and beat Memorial goalkeeper The Eagles got even early in the 62nd minute when Chris
Ben Weikert from nine yards out. Freeman booted in an unassisted goal into the top right-
hand corner of the LC net. Just seconds later, Alex Carr
The Indians of coach Alberto Verteramo had been seeking netted the eventual game-winner on a header from eight
their second state title after winning in 2003. Saint Joseph yards out. Ben Weidner earned the assist.
finishes 14-7-2.

28 IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure INDIANA! IHSAA - Pure Spirit. Pure Sport. Pure INDIANA! 29