The Fishers boys soccer team won its first sectional championship in six years on Saturday, beating host and No. 4-ranked Hamilton Southeastern 1-0 to triumph at Class 3A Sectional 8.
The Tigers got their goal with 10 minutes to go in the second half, when Noah Reinhart found the back of the net for Fishers. The Tigers were able to hang on from there, winning the program’s second sectional title.
“It feels great,” said Fishers coach Phil Schmidt. “Obviously it’s a very tough sectional and I’m just so proud of the boys. We just kept fighting and fighting all year to get into this position to get the win.”
The Tigers improved to 10-6-1 with the victory, while the Royals finished their season 13-3-3.
Fishers will play at the Kokomo regional on Saturday, taking on Homestead in the first semi-final, which begins at 10 a.m. The other semi-final will see No. 8 Fort Wayne Carroll playing McCutcheon, and starts at noon. The winners will advance to the 7 p.m. championship game.
Westfield also broke a six-year sectional title drought on Saturday, and did so in style, cruising past Pike 5-0 to win Class 3A Sectional 10 at Carmel’s Murray Stadium.
“We got quarantined early, and then we lost three games in the first nine days we got back,” said ‘Rocks coach Kevin Scanlon. “And then we haven’t lost since.”
It was a battle of ranked teams, with the Shamrocks rated No. 15 and the Red Devils ranked No. 18. Westfield scored its first goal in the 17th minute, with Declan Wheeler finding the back of the net.
The Shamrocks’ lead would stay at 1-0 through halftime, but they poured it on in the second half. Ben Wallace converted a penalty kick with 30:34 left in the second half. Westfield then added three goals between the 67th and 77th minutes; Luke Van Dyke scored first, followed by David Green. Wheeler put his second goal in the net with 3:43 left in the game.
Scanlon noted that five of the six teams in the sectional were ranked, calling it a “thrive and survive type thing. But the boys, I can’t be prouder of them. They worked their cans off.”
“It feels great,” said Collin Maris, one of the seniors on the Westfield team. “We work as a team, we love each other. We’re a family. We wouldn’t be here without each other. Each and every one of us make each other better.”
The Shamrocks are 10-3-2 and will return to Carmel next Saturday to play in the regional. Westfield plays Franklin Central in the second semi-final, which will start around noon, after the 10 a.m. first semi-final between East Central and No. 17 Plainfield. The championship game is set for 7 p.m.
Guerin Catholic defended its sectional title on Saturday, beating host Cardinal Ritter 1-0 to triumph at Class 2A Sectional 26.
After a scoreless first half, the No. 2-ranked Golden Eagles got their goal four minutes into the second half. Peter Hall scored off an assist by Joseph Lafiosca. Guerin Catholic held on from there to claim the program’s sixth sectional championship.
The Golden Eagles are 12-1-2 for the season and will play at the Greensburg regional next Saturday. Guerin will take on Bishop Chatard in the 10 a.m. first semi-final, which will be followed by the noon semi-final between Lawrenceburg and No. 12 Tri-West. The championship game will take place at 7 p.m.
Sheridan fell to No. 15-ranked Liberty Christian Saturday in the championship of Class 1A Sectional 39 at Anderson Prep Academy.
The Blackhawks finished their season with a 7-3-1 record.
Westfield also ended a long sectional championship drought on Saturday, pulling away from Pike 5-0 to win Class 3A Sectional 10 at Carmel’s Murray Stadium. The Shamrocks last won a sectional title in 2014. (Richie Hall)
Guerin Catholic defended its sectional championship on Saturday, beating host Cardinal Ritter 1-0 to win Class 2A Sectional 26. (Photo provided)