Boys soccer: Royals, Rocks tie in HCC showdown

By RICHARD TORRES

For The Reporter

FISHERS – The Westfield Shamrocks were looking to play spoiler both on Hamilton Southeastern’s senior night and in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference title race.

For 57 minutes on Tuesday night, the Class 3A No. 7 Shamrocks (4-1-3, 1-1-3 HCC) did just that.

Taking advantage of a special senior lineup shift by 3A No. 4 HSE (7-0-4, 3-0-2 HCC) to start the match, Westfield ran out to a quick 2-0 lead by the 19^th minute, but the host Royals charged back in the second half to end the night in a 2-2 tie.

The Royals entered the game deadlocked with defending state champion Noblesville in the HCC standings and coming off a 1-1 tie with conference rival Fishers last week. HSE will face Noblesville on Thursday at home.

“Bottom line is we control our own destiny,” HSE head coach Chris White said. “The last year few years at this point in time we needed some help, so we know the challenge of Noblesville and Zionsville (away on Sept. 24), but the bottom line is when we do what we do, we’re capable of giving ourselves a chance.”

In the second half, the Royals played their game, and their offense ramped up the pressure.

With six shots in the first half, HSE fired 11 in the second with six shots on goal for nine overall in the game.

“To be down 2-0 at the half and fight back to get the tie and still give us a chance to control our own destiny in the conference is huge,” White said.

The deficit was massive to start, as Westfield senior Oliver Church slid a through ball to senior Ace Loureiro for the game’s first goal on the Shamrocks’ first shot on goal in the third minute.

The Shamrocks’ 1-0 lead turned into a 2-0 advantage in the 19^th minute when senior Avery Farris found Church for a header goal.

“First half looked pretty good. It looked like our game. You get the emotional aspect of senior night, but the true aspect of our game truly showed. I’m proud of that first half,” Westfield head coach Eric Cupp said.

“Coach (Jeff) Neidlinger made a good point. He said, ‘If that’s the No. 4 team in the state, then I love that. That’s a great result.’ I was talking to their coach, and he said, ‘Well, you whipped us in the first half, and we whipped you in the second half.’ That’s a great game.”

After a pair of yellow cards towards the end of the first half, the Royals regrouped and dictated the midfield for a majority of the second half, creating 13 attacks compared to Westfield’s eight.

“The intensity level was there in the first half, but we didn’t quite come out with that same intensity to start the second half, and then kind of picked it up in the last 10 or so minutes,” Cupp said.

Westfield attempted four shots – three on goal – in the second half, while senior goalkeeper Austin Butler logged six saves with two team saves for the game.

HSE overcame Butler in the 57^th minute following a hard foul in the box, which awarded senior Jack Anderson a penalty kick. Anderson lined it past Butler to cut the deficit to 2-1.

“Jack Anderson is our captain. He’s been phenomenal for us all year,” White said. “We put him in a more defensive role in the midfield this year, so he’s not getting the scoring opportunities, but he has eight or nine assists on the year, and for him to get a chance to step up and put the ball in the back of the net and change the tide of things is huge for him.”

In the 63^rd minute, the Royals tied up the game on a breakaway goal scored by senior Ameer Abu-Salih, who dribbled past a trio of Shamrock defenders before finding the back of the net.

“Ameer, what can you say?,” White said. “He is so dynamic with the ball, and next thing you know he runs 50 yards past people and puts it in the back of the net. He did the same thing against Lafayette Harrison. He’s so dangerous when he’s active.”

HSE senior goalkeeper Cam Joniec finished with three saves. The Royals’ defense added another in the second half to keep the game locked up on senior night.

“We talked about it before the game, and we talked about it yesterday. As a coach, it’s one of those where you ask, what do I do? We say soccer is more than just soccer here, there’s a family piece, so we gave 11 seniors a chance to start. It threw off our rhythm some, but that was no excuse,” White said. “The one great thing about this team is all year it’s been a tight-knit group. They find ways to overcome adversity within the game. I was extremely proud of how they fought.”