By RICHIE HALL
Reporter Sports Editor
With the soccer sectional brackets revealed, teams around the state are now focusing on finishing up their regular seasons on a high note.
The Hamilton Heights boys team was able to do that Tuesday night. The Huskies won an exciting and tense Senior Night game over Liberty Christian 3-2, completing their regular season with a 9-7-1 record.
The Lions tied the game at 2-2 in the 48th minute, this after being down 2-0 in the first half. Heights got the lead back about six minutes later; Zach Clarke placed the ball to a wide open Josh Thorpe. With Liberty’s goalkeeper out of the box, Thorpe easily sent the ball into the net.
“It was a great placed ball. It was placed to him in the corner,” said Huskies coach Derrick Dean. “It wasn’t a hard-paced shot, but it didn’t have to be with no goalie back there.”
Heights’ first goal of the game came in the 15th minute, with Drew Tomaszewski finding Logan Fakes for the score. Ten minutes later, Thorpe sent the ball to Nahuel Zarate, who kicked it into the net. The Lions scored with five minutes left in the half to make the score 2-1 at the break.
“We went up 2-0, we had the momentum, and Liberty got that goal,” said Dean. “They had a little bit of momentum in the second half, which I told the guys they would have, and they got that second goal to tie it. But, the guys dug deep.”
After the Huskies scored the go-ahead goal, both teams had several scoring chances here and there. By the last 15 minutes of the game, Heights was controlling the ball, and got several good saves from Caleb Grabarz, who totaled six saves on the night.
“After we scored, I think we had the momentum,” said Dean. “I think we kept it pretty well.”
The Huskies will now prepare for the Lebanon sectional, with their first game on Monday. Heights will play Frankfort, which is 11-4 overall and finished as part of a three-way tie for first in the Sagamore Conference.
Hamilton Southeastern, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A, clinched the Hoosier Crossroads Conference championship on Tuesday by beating Noblesville 1-0.
JP Suarez scored a second-half goal for the Royals, who finished conference play with a 5-0-1 record.
In a Monday all-county game, Guerin Catholic beat University 3-2.
All five of the goals were scored in the first half. Andrew Garvey got two goals for the Class 3A No. 13 Golden Eagles, while Daniel Cloran scored one.
Ryan Williams and Coghlin Kumler each got one goal for the 1A No. 2 Trailblazers.
Guerin beat Lafayette Central Catholic 4-0 on Tuesday. Stats from that game were unavailable.
Sheridan used a late goal to tie Irvington Prep 3-3 on Monday.
The Ravens scored two quick goal with two minutes left before halftime, then got another fast goal as the second half began. The Blackhawks began their comeback with goals from Will Zachery and Caleb Duke, finding the back of the net within two minutes of each other.
The equalizer came with less than a minute to go in the game, as Joey Hopper made an aggressive play and scored to get the tie.
Carmel played 3A No. 3 Harrison to a 2-2 tie on Tuesday.
The 3A No. 16 Greyhounds got goals from Oliver Shebek and Caleb Hussain. Jack Muller made one assist.
“I thought we possessed and moved the ball well tonight,” said Carmel coach Shane Schmidt. “We were very dangerous with our attacking down the wings and getting in behind during the second half.”
Westfield fell to Avon 2-1 on Senior Night.
Nick Rogers scored the Shamrocks’ goal on a penalty kick.
Hamilton Southeastern’s Jimmy Maulucci (2) heads the ball with Noblesville’s Brian Diaz (4) on the defense during the Royals-Millers boys soccer game Tuesday at the White River Elementary field. (Kent Graham)
Hamilton Heights’ seniors had an exciting Senior Night on Tuesday, as the Huskies beat Liberty Christian 3-2 to win their regular-season finale. Next up for Heights is play at the Lebanon sectional, where it will take on Frankfort Monday. (Richie Hall)