Wheeler oh so close again
Bearcats lose by same score, 1-0, to same team, Evansville Mater Dei, in 1A state final
INDIANAPOLIS — As she sat on the bus Saturday morning heading to the Class A state championship game, Wheeler’s Alaina Hill said her stomach was in knots from nerves.
All that changed as senior goalkeeper sat in the locker room before taking the field at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium, settling into what she called her “zone.”
Hill went on to make five saves, but a miscommunication midway through the second half proved costly.
Madde Folz’s goal in the 55th minute was enough to clinch Evansville Mater Dei’s second straight state title over the Bearcats, both by a score of 1-0.
“When you hit metal three times, it’s just one of those games where it’s not your day,” Wheeler coach Bryan Murray said. “We were a little tight early on, but then we slid some people higher and did a better job of staying connected up top.
“We found a better rhythm, had some good chances in the second and played well.”
Murray felt that Hill, who missed last season with a concussion, fared well in the final for Wheeler (22-1).
“She wasn’t really tested all year and you could see the quality of keeper that she is by just how she played,” Murray said.
Despite the result, Hill said the game will be something she will look back on fondly.
“This was the craziest experience of my life,” she said. “This is like a taste of what the professionals get with this field, all of these fans. It was something I’m probably never going to experience again.
“Just being able to play in this atmosphere is something I’ll always remember. This is going to be a happy memory, not a sad one. It’ll be one of my proudest moments ever that our team was able to do this together. I’m gonna remember this team as a second family.”
Mater Dei (16-4-1) outshot Wheeler 6-1, with Gia Diaz’s header from the box in the 78th minute being the only shot for the Bearcats.
Wheeler junior Riley Garcia hit the crossbar twice in the first five minutes of the second half.
“When I shoot a ball like that and it hits the crossbar, all I’m thinking is that it should have went a few inches lower and then it goes in,” Garcia said.
Wheeler graduates eight from what will go down as the program’s must successful senior class, with a 43-2 record over the last two years.
“I’ll probably find the right words to describe them later, but it’s a special group,” Murray said.
Wheeler senior Lauren Putz won the Mental Attitude Award.
“I’ve always tried to mentor the underclassmen and make them feel welcome,” she said. “That’s how it was for me when I was a freshman, and winning this award makes me feel like I somewhat did that job right.
“Getting to experience state with my sister Morgan and girls I’ve played with since I was 8, not only once but twice, it was an absolute dream.”
CJ Peters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.