Carmel boys & girls teams get solid victories
THE REPORTER
The Indiana high school lacrosse playoffs are on the horizon, and the excitement is starting to build among Hamilton County teams.
The Guerin Catholic girls lacrosse team had many reasons to cheer on Friday night. The Golden Eagles clinched the Circle City Conference championship with an overwhelming win against Heritage Christian, 19-2 at the Eagles Nest.
Guerin Catholic was in control of the game early, leading 13-2 at halftime. The last few minutes of the first half and the entire second half was played under a running clock.
“I think they played excellent,” said GC coach Joe Bellflower. “We’ve been playing really well since Spring Break, and that offense is really clicking. So is our defense.”
“Our team just has a really good chemistry and we all work really well together,” said Clare Alic, one of the seniors on the GC team. “I’m really lucky to be on a team that has such a positive environment. We all just really care about each other.”
The Golden Eagles are 13-2 for the season, having lost only to Sacred Heart Academy from Louisville, and to Carmel in overtime. The latter game was a re-match of last year’s Class 2A state finals, which Guerin Catholic won.
Two of those players on last year’s state championship team were significant factors in GC’s Friday win. Alic and Alex Soucie both scored three goals.
Four more players added two goals: Gabby Deer, Caitlin Carter, Katherine Constantino and Jane Cline. The Guerin Catholic scoring was rounded out by Sarah Jacoby, Grace Klee, Lucy Esposito, Sophia Adolay and Lyrric Barnett all getting one goal each.
“Everyone just works so awesome together,” said Alic. “Nobody’s selfish, nobody ball-hogs, and we all just have our heads up looking in the middle for the next pass.”
Deer and Klee both made three assists, followed by two for Alic and one for Jeanette Murray. Soucie dominated the draw controls with six, while Avery Wilson collected seven ground balls. Ruth Abdola had four saves.
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As the Guerin Catholic girls were finishing their game, another big lacrosse contest was taking place a few miles away at Carmel stadium.
The Greyhounds boys hosted Hamilton Southeastern in a match-up of the top two boys team in the state. Carmel got out to an early lead, and eventually won the game 11-4.
Kyle Fedorcha and Leo Hammons both scored three goals for the Greyhounds, with Fedorcha handing out two assists and Hammons making one assist. Quinn Huber scored two goals for Carmel, with Cole Roseman, Matthew Soyka and Charlie Marsh all putting in one. Soyka, Leo Prosser and Jackson Weaver all had one assist.
Shane Gastineau had two goals for the defending 2A state champion Royals, with Graham Ewing and Kai Trott both scoring one. Max Kemp and Owen O’Rourke both handed out one assist.
Carmel’s Matthew Soyka (11) looks down the field while being guarded by Hamilton
Southeastern’s Quinn Shefferly (22) and Kaleb Johnson (33). (Richie Hall)
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Carmel’s girls team took a trip to Penn on Friday evening, and came home with a 16-6 victory.
Greyhounds senior Tori Tomalia was all over the place, starting with nine draw controls. She also scored five goals and handed out two assists. Sophomore Sophie Mock had four goals, Elle Tomalia scored three and Breckin Hare put in two goals. Seniors AnnMarie McGill and Pey Henney each had one goal, and Elle Tomalia dished out one assist.
Carmel finishes its regular season Wednesday at Culver Academies.
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Fishers’ girls team gave Park Tudor a battle before the Panthers won 16-8 on Thursday.
Kayli Gerka, Alexa Denney and Maddie Fahner all scored quick goals for the Tigers in the first part of the game; Gerka went on to score three goals and Denney finished with two goals. Mackenzie Slimak and Zoey Newell both had one goal.
Fishers also had solid defensive efforts from several players, including Nabeelah Agrebe, Selsa Mertami, Hana Ito, Amy Cooke and Sophia Ready.
Fahner had two forced turnovers, with Aregbe, Mertami, Newell and Elaina Severs all making one. Dennery, Fahner and Newell all collected two ground balls.
The Tigers play Monday at Brebeuf Jesuit.