By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
CARMEL – The Carmel boys soccer team will get one more game at Murray Stadium this season.
The Class 3A No. 1-ranked Greyhounds hosted Regional semi-final 4 Wednesday, taking on a very tough team, No. 8-ranked Pike. But Carmel scored in the first half, then held off the Red Devils with strong defense to win 1-0.
The ‘Hounds thus advanced to the championship game, which they will host at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
“This senior group gets to play one last home game here on Murray,” said Greyhounds coach Shane Schmidt.
“It’s pretty awesome. I love playing at our home field,” said Davis Dilling, one of Carmel’s seniors. Dilling was the offensive hero of the game, as he scored the Greyhounds’ goal in the game’s 26th minute. Will Latham had the ball and played it to Dilling, who kicked it in for the easy score.
“It was kind of a confusing situation for me, because I wasn’t sure if I should take a touch and then shoot it, or just shoot it right away,” said Dilling. “So I just pulled the trigger and let it go.”
“He was right there to slot it home,” said Schmidt. “We work on stuff like that in trainings, and pattern plays and passing patterns, and different run patterns and stuff like that that we do,” said Schmidt. “He did his job and I’m super proud of him. I’m super happy for him that he gets the game winner on a night like tonight.”
The Greyhounds had other chances throughout the game, and so did Pike. Carmel’s defense stayed firm for the entire 80 minutes, with Adam Keleher making a couple big stops as goalkeeper.
“That’s a difficult team to shut out,” said Schmidt. “I’m super proud of my defense. I’m super proud of the fact that they communicated and stayed organized and they did everything that they needed to do to keep a zero on the scoreboard for the other team, a team as good as them.”
Carmel improved to 15-2-3 with the win, and has won its last nine games. During that streak, the Greyhounds have allowed only two goals. Schmidt also pointed out that it was the only time this season Pike lost to a team from Indiana. The Red Devils finished their season 16-2-3, with their other loss coming to Oak Park-River Forest (Ill.)
“They’re a good team,” said Schmidt. “They’re dangerous. I’m proud of my boys for what they did tonight and how they played and they stuck with it.”
Carmel will play Cathedral in the regional championship game on Saturday. The Irish won their regional semi-final in a penalty kick shootout over East Central on Wednesday.