There were a couple reasons for the Hamilton Southeastern boys soccer team to celebrate its 2-1 win over Brownsburg on Tuesday.
First, it was an opening win for the Class 3A No. 3 Royals in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference. Second, it was coach Chris White’s 250th career victory. White is in his 20th season of coaching – five years of Mount Vernon, eight years at Lawrence Central, and now seven years (and counting) at HSE.
“It is a nice accomplishment,” said White. “I’m proud of it. Been able to coach a lot of really good teams and really good players. There’s the old saying, ‘It’s about the Jimmys and Joes.’ If we don’t have good players, we’re not winning games.”
Southeastern scored both of its goals in the first half, with Darian Ghafarri and Tyler White finding the back of the net. The Bulldogs got one goal back early in the second half, but the Royals were able to hold on for the victory.
HSE plays its next game next Tuesday at Avon.
Noblesville fell to 3A No. 9 Avon 2-1 Tuesday in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference game.
The Millers scored first, with a strike by Alec Vanyo just inside the penalty area on a slick assist from Nicolai Andersen. However, Avon responded with a goal of its own to tie it up going into halftime.
The Orioles scored to take the lead early in the second half. The Millers had a ferocious last 15 minutes of the game, trying to find the equalizer, but couldn’t get it to go.
The Millers look to rebound Thursday at Brebeuf Jesuit.
Hamilton Heights dropped a 2-1 game to Lebanon on Tuesday.
The 2A No. 15 Huskies came out and scored their only goal five minutes into the game when Zach Clark pulled the Tigers’ defense and goalkeeper to the left side of the field and dished a great ball to Jackson Stuart in the center of the field. Stuart laid it into the back of the empty net.
But after that, Lebanon scored twice in the first half, and that score would hold for the remainder of the game.
“The second half was a great possession game for the Huskies as the moved the ball with great composure but could never find the back of the net,” said HHHS coach Derrick Dean. “The Huskies outshot the Tigers 7-3 in the second half and controlled it on the Tigers defensive half the majority of the time.”
Donovan Trew was named the Huskies’ Player of the Game for “providing great defense” on Lebanon’s solid and aggressive striker. Caleb Grabarz recorded five saves.
University ground out a 3-2 win over Bethesda Christian 3-2 on Tuesday.
Michael Bounsall scored the first goal of the game for the 1A No. 7 Trailblazers; it was also his first goal of the season. Coghlin Kumler converted a penalty kick for the second goal, and Ryan Williams got the game winner, off a feed from Sam Gailey.
Carmel, ranked No. 11 in 3A, fell to Ben Davis 1-0 in a Tuesday game.
Hamilton Southeastern defender Bryce Wetzel keeps his eye and his foot on the ball during the Royals’ Hoosier Crossroads Conference game with Brownsburg on Tuesday. Class 3A No. 3 Southeastern beat the Bulldogs 2-1. (Kirk Green)