WeekendArgos boys, roundupgirls champs
LAKEVILLE — Saturday was a long day for the Argos girls soccer team, but it was definitely worth it.
After starting off by winning the 10 a.m. Class 1A Laville Regional semifinal game, 3-1, over 16th-ranked Covenant Christian, the Lady Dragons came back to win the championship game, 3- 2, over ninthranked Andrean in a sudden death shootout thriller as the clock neared 10 p.m. at Newton Park.
“Oh my word. I’m just so proud of how our girls battled,” said Argos head coach Joe Stone.
The last time Argos won the regional was 2013 and it did not look like this would be the year to make it back to the Final Four as the Lady 59ers held a 2-1 lead for almost the entire second half before Maddie Vanderweele’s free kick after a hand ball just outside the box zoomed past the Andrean keeper for the equalizer in the 75th minute.
“She’s a free-kick specialist,” Stone said of Vanderweele, just one of two senior starters in the title game. “She just drilled that one. No keeper in the world is going to stop that one. I’m so proud of her.”
Neither team had a scoring opportunity in the first seven- minute overtime period. Argos had three good shots in the second session, but missed on all
three, sending the game to a shootout.
Argos’ Lauren Mcglothin, Aryanna Allen, and Hannah Trump all scored on their penalty kicks, but Andrean keeper Briana Houpt matched the Lady Dragons’ Alyssa Poisel with two stops to send it to sudden death and five new kickers.
The 59ers went first and Vanderweele, Emma Dunlap and Cailey Markley each answered Andrean goals, but both keepers made two more saves and the shootout continued, but now the coaches could use any player.
On the 11th shooter overall - and the sixth under sudden death pressure - Andrean went first and
Poisel made a diving stop on Haley Nelson’s attempt, giving Argos the chance for the win with a conversion.
“When we got to the last rung (of the sudden death) I asked, ‘ Who wants it?’ and Emma screamed, ‘I do!’,” said Stone.
“I felt a lot of pressure,” added Dunlap, who was selected to make the next kick. “I was really nervous, but I knew I could do it. I wanted to do it.”
When the sophomore midfielder stepped up, she calmly blasted it to her right and past Houpt to set off a wild celebration among the Argos players and fans.
“That’s a sophomore playing like a senior,” Stone said.
“That was so exciting,” said senior keeper Poisel, who did not get much action during regulation but was more than ready for the game- deciding shootout with three diving stops out of her five saves. “It has been a long time since Argos’ girls have won regionals. It’s amazing. (The shootout) was crazy and stressful. I just knew I had God on my side helping me through it all.”
“She did a wonderful job, above and beyond the call of duty,” Stone said of Poisel’s efforts.
Dunlap’s big day also included scoring the team’s first goal in the final and she had two others during the semifinal win.
Sixth-ranked Argos (154) will now face No. 2 Lafayette Central Catholic ( 14- 3) in the semi- state Saturday, Oct. 24, to be held at Kokomo HS.
• ARGOS 3, ANDREAN 2 (sudden death shootout 7-6)
Class 1A Regional championship At Lakeville (Newton Park)
AN - Cristina Martinez (Mia Dainton) 4th min
AR - Emma Dunlap 25th min AN - Claudia Nicksic 46th min AR - Maddie Vanderweele 75th min
Shootout:
Argos goals: Lauren Mcglothin, Aryanna Allen, Hannah Trump, Vanderweele, Dunlap, Cailey Markley, Dunlap
Andrean goals: Maria Trujillo, Bridget Sherman, Isabella Cuadra, Haley Nelson, Dainton, Giana Cappello
Shots: Argos 17, Andrean 10 Saves: Argos 2 (Alyssa Poisel), Andrean 10 (Briana Houpt) Fouls: Argos 12, Andrean 7 Corner kicks: Argos 1, Andrean 2 Records: Argos 15-4, Andrean 13-6 (final)
• ARGOS 3, COVENANT
CHRISTIAN 1
Class 1A Regional semifinal At Lakeville (Newton Park)
A - Dunlap (Lilly Hines) 3rd min
C - Skylar Bos 35th min
A - Dunlap (Elizabeth Edmonds) 54th min
A - Trump (Allen) 60th min