A big Saturday coming for local soccer teams
When the 2020-21 school year began, high school soccer was one of the sports in jeopardy of not being played at all due to the pandemic. It would have been a major disappointment to all who play the sport, but especially locally with so many good teams this year.
Now, after the shakeout of last Saturday’s sectionals for both boys and girls, four teams - two each - will participate in the regional round this Saturday. Here is a preview of each bracket.
BOYS CLASS 3A
Plymouth’s historic season continues at the Class 3A Goshen Regional. The seventh-ranked Rockies (17-0-1) will take on No. 3 Chesterton (17-2) in the morning semifinal at 10 a.m. The winner then will come back at 7 p.m. to face the winner of the second semifinal between No. 10 Elkhart (13-1) and Munster ( 9- 2- 1). The regional champ will face the Kokomo Regional champ at semi-state on Oct. 24. The highest ranked team there is No. 8 FW Carroll.
As good as two of the Rockies’ best players have been (Selvin Pagoada 31 goals, Jose Rosas 15 assists), the Trojans counter with Zack Bowser (35 goals) and Nick Biel (14 assists). Looking at common opponents, Plymouth tied St. Joseph, 1-1, Chesterton defeated SJ, 6-0. Plymouth defeated CMA, 2-1, Chesterton won, 9-1. Plymouth defeated Concord, 2-1, Chesterton won, 5-0. Both defeated No. 5 Northridge, 3-1. Ironically, one of Chesterton’s losses came to Northridge, by the same 3-1 score.
BOYS CLASS 1A
No surprise that defending state champ and No. 1-ranked Argos came out with a sectional title, as this was the 10th straight for the Dragons’ program. Argos (16-3-1) will take on Morgan Township (13-4) in Game 2 of the Class 1A Argos Regional starting at noon. No. 17 Kouts (12-0-4) and Westview (13-7-1) will play the early game at 10 a.m. The winners come back to Eugene Snyder Field at 7 p.m. for the title game.
GIRLS CLASS 2A
CGA sent shockwaves around the state by knocking off No. 1 Marian in the Sectional 19 final and now moves on the the Class 2A Plymouth Regional. The Lady Eagles (9-8) will face Northwood (8-5-3) in the morning semi at 10 a.m. The two have had comparable results with common opponents. The winner will then face the winner of the Wheeler (14-2) - West Lafayette (6-3) contest at 7 p.m. for the regional championship. No. 9 Wheeler is the only ranked team in the bunch.
GIRLS CLASS 1A
Argos won its third straight sectional and moves on to a packed Laville Regional filled with four Top 20 teams. The sixthranked Lady Dragons (13-4) will play No. 16 Covenant Christian (14-2-1) in the 10 a.m. semifinal at Newton Park. Covenant’s Skylar Bos has an eye-popping 49 goals on the season. Lilly Hines leads Argos with 14. No. 9 Andrean (12-5) and No. 19 Bethany Christian (12-4-2) play in the other semi. Winners face off at 7 p.m. for the regional title.