By RICHIE HALL
The Hamilton Southeastern boys soccer team has now won four sectional championships in a row.
That fourth championship was a close one, as the Sectional 8 host Royals were given a tough battle by their cross-town rival Fishers. The game went into overtime, and it was a goal by senior Zaden Eby-Holmes that lifted Southeastern past the Tigers 2-1 and allowed the Royals to lift another sectional trophy.
“It’s unbelievable to be one of the only few, and to share with my brothers each and every year just gets better and better,” said Chayton Davidson, one of the senior captains on the HSE team. The Royals seniors are thus champions all four years, and it was the seniors that stepped up, as they scored both goals.
Early in the second half, senior Sean Williams played a corner kick to fellow senior JP Suarez, who booted it into the net to get Southeastern on the board with 36:30 remaining. But the Tigers kept the pressure on, and tied the game with 14:31 left. Junior Reese May found the equalizer for Fishers.
The score would stay at 1-1 through the end of regulation, which meant overtime – two seven-minute periods, no “golden goal.” Neither team scored in the first overtime, and a finish by penalty kicks loomed as a possibility.
But Eby-Holmes took care of that thanks to a perfect kick with 4:41 remaining in the second overtime. The Royals held on from there to preserve the win.
“I got a lucky bounce,” said Eby-Holmes. He credited sophomore forward Harsahil Gandham with making “a good run through” to set up the score.
“I was just able to get a touch on it and get it past the keeper and I kept my composure and beat the defender,” said Eby-Holmes.
The championship was the sixth in school history for the Royals, who are now 14-2-2 for the season. And of course, it was the team’s first ever four-peat.
“Over the last three, four years, we’ve had a lot of firsts in our program,” said HSE coach Chris White. For example, last season was the first time Southeastern had been ranked No. 1 in the state, and won a Hoosier Crossroads Conference championship.
“These seniors have been a part of that, but this year they hadn’t been able to experience something that was a first for our program,” said White. “So this was the opportunity to be the first class to come through and say they never lost a sectional championship. Winning four in a row’s really special whether you win it on the road or home. Obviously being at home, it’s great to be able to have that kind of turnout from the fans and the support.”
Meanwhile, Fishers finished its season 12-3-3 in the first year for coach Phil Schmidt.
“Fishers is a great team,” said White. “What Coach Schmidt did with them this year is remarkable.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of our kids,” said Schmidt. “We had a young team. Proud of our seniors, but young team that got to learn a lot this year and I cannot wait for next season. I cannot wait for the future of Fishers soccer. I thought we had an outstanding season and our future is extremely bright.”
Southeastern will play in the Kokomo regional next Saturday. The Royals will play the winner of the Homestead sectional, either Huntington North or the host Spartans. That championship game was delayed to Monday due to weather.
The Hamilton Southeastern boys soccer team won its fourth consecutive sectional championship on Saturday. The host Royals needed overtime before finally getting past its cross-town rival Fishers 2-1. Southeastern will play in the Kokomo regional next Saturday.
Click here for more championship images. (Kirk Green)
Hamilton Southeastern’s Zaden Eby-Holmes scored the game-winning goal in overtime. (Kirk Green)