The Noblesville girls soccer team advanced to the championship game of Class 3A Sectional 8 on Thursday with a 1-0 win over Hamilton Southeastern at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex.
It was a typical game between the No. 1-ranked Millers and the No. 2 Royals: Hard-fought and intense with both teams playing at a high level. The score was tied 0-0 at halftime, but that wouldn’t last long into the second half.
Less than two minutes into the half, Ava Bramblett sent a corner kick into the center of the field. Mia Brake was there when it landed, and she lobbed it into the net. It was Brake’s first-ever career goal.
Brake said she saw the ball went “near post and I just made the run from front post and then I put my foot out after I saw that it was past one player and I hit it in the goal.”
Noblesville was able to hold the lead from there, challenging the goal again a few times, while holding off Southeastern’s challenges during the last 10 minutes of the game.
“That’s a real good soccer team,” said Millers coach Mike Brady. “We’re fortunate. I like how we played tonight, but that game could have gone the other way. Those are two heavyweights battling and tonight we came out on top.”
The Millers are 15-1 and host the Sectional 8 championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday. Noblesville plays Pendleton Heights, who beat Anderson 12-0 in the second semi-final.
The Royals finished their season 14-3.
“Super proud of the girls for the season the put in,” said Southeastern coach Greg Davidson. “I will go so far as to say I think our No. 2 ranking is legit, that we are the second-best team in the state of Indiana, and that only Noblesville could beat us this year.”
Noblesville’s
Nadia Zaborowski (left) and Hamilton Southeastern’s Caroline Kelley battle for the ball during the sectional semi-final game. (Kent Graham)
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Greyhounds beat Eagles
Carmel won a heavyweight game at Class 3A Sectional 10 at Westfield Thursday, as the No. 3 Greyhounds took care of No. 4 Zionsville 3-1.
“The girls picked a great time to play one of their best games of the year,” said Carmel coach Frank Dixon.
The Eagles scored first, off a corner-kick goal at the 15:13 mark of the first half. That didn’t last long, as Megan Hamm took a ball on the right side, beat several Zionsville players and put in the equalizer just 27 seconds after the Eagles scored.
Olivia Cebalo scored the go-ahead goal in the 31st minute, off a pass from Hamm. Cebalo then scored late in the second half unassisted.
“Between the offensive action, there was a lot of great defensive play by every Carmel player who saw the field,” said Dixon.
The ‘Hounds are 14-2-2 and play North Central at 2 p.m. Saturday in the championship. The Panthers defeated Arsenal Tech 9-0 in the second semi-final.
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Huskies cruise at Yorktown
Hamilton Heights easily advanced to the final at Class 2A Sectional 24 at Yorktown, beating the host Tigers 4-0.
Ella Hickok had an outstanding game for the No. 20-ranked Huskies, scoring three goals. Riley Landis also scored a goal, with Cassidy Felger had one assist. Freshman Audrey Lang had five goalkeeper saves.
Heights is 13-5-1 and plays Jay County at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Sectional 24 championship. The Patriots beat Delta 4-0 in the second semi-final.
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‘Hawks fall to Tipton
Sheridan’s sensational season came to an end on Thursday, as the Blackhawks fell to Class 1A Sectional 37 host Tipton 1-0 in the semi-finals.
The No. 17-ranked Blue Devils gained control on the wing and scored their goal with 19 minutes left in the first half. Sheridan controlled the second half, with seven shots and multiple corner kicks. Emma Alexander drove the ball from midfield into the goal box with three minutes left, but the Tipton goalkeeper deflected it away.
Blackhawks coach Brian Prange said his seniors dedicated “their time and effort for all the time they have been on the program. We are very proud of them and want to thank them for their effort and leadership.”
Sheridan finished its season 10-8.
Sheridan’s Lilly Chesney takes control of the ball during the Blackhawks’ sectional game at Tipton Thursday. (Si DeVaney III)