‘A dynasty’ is born
Bowser tallies 3 goals and an assist as Chesterton wins 2nd state title in 3 years
Chesterton’s Zack Bowser never even dreamed of ending his illustrious career in such fashion Saturday.
The senior forward had three goals and an assist to spearhead the Trojans’ record-setting performance for a 7-1 win over Castle in the Class 3A state championship game at Fishers.
Junior midfielder Ryan O’Dell added two goals and an assist as part of the barrage.
On the way to winning its second title in three seasons, Chesterton (21-2) scored the most goals in a state final and posted the largest margin of victory — both for boys and girls — since the Indiana High School Athletic Association started sanctioning soccer in 1994.
“I can’t explain it,” Bowser said. “No one was expecting this. We came out flying. Everyone brought the same energy. Everyone wanted it just as bad.”
By beating Castle (17-3-1), the Trojans join the Crown Point boys, who won in 2011 and 2013, as the Region’s only programs with two state titles.
Bowser, senior goalkeeper Charlie Eaton and senior midfielder Nick Biel — this season’s tri-captains — all started on Chesterton’s 2018 team.
“It’s so crazy,” Biel said. “If I would’ve woke up and someone said, ‘We’re winning 7-0 (Saturday),’ I would’ve said, ‘Wow, that’s pretty ambitious.’
“It was the embodiment of the whole season. Everything came together. They always say in sports you want to be peaking at the right time. There’s no better time than the state final.”
Lucas Sabedra, in his third season at Chesterton, became the Region’s first coach with two state titles.
After a last-second victory in 2018, the Trojans scored six goals in the first half Saturday before conceding an own goal with less than three minutes left.
“The first half, it just showed what happens when all cylinders are firing,” Sabedra said. “Everyone was clicking. Our defense was sharp. Our offense wasn’t holding back. Everyone was playing confident.
“Man, that was the most beautiful game I’ve seen us play this entire year — maybe ever.”
Bowser, who had a programrecord 40 goals this season and a program-record 86 in his career, opened the scoring less than nine minutes into the game, weaving through Castle’s defense.
Sophomore forward Josh Wadowski, who exited Chesterton’s semistate win with a back injury in which he momentarily lost feeling in his extremities, made it 2-0 on a through-ball pass from O’Dell a little more than a minute later.
“It’s surreal,” Wadowski said. “It’s unbelievable. The emotions — oh, my.”
O’Dell, who started in the 2018 state final, scored back-toback goals with less than 18 minutes left in the first half and three minutes later.
“Three years I’ve been playing with them,” O’Dell said. “And we’ve just gotten closer and closer.”
Bowser added his second goal with less than 11 minutes before halftime on an assist from Gage Torres. Biel made it 6-0 with seven-plus minutes remaining on a corner kick from Bowser.
Bowser completed his hat trick with 20 minutes left in the game.
“We basically created a dynasty, the seniors,” Bowser said. “Ending my career on a win, it means so much.”
The Trojans, who were eliminated last season in a regional semifinal, lost their shutout on an own goal with less than three minutes.
It was about the only thing that went awry.
“Once you win one, that’s the goal every season — it’s state championship or bust,” Biel said. “We wanted to make sure we brought it home this year.”
Biel, who set a program record with 17 assists this season, also was named the Mental Attitude Award winner.
“We love the game of soccer, but at the end of the day, it’s just a sport,” Biel said. “We have to go home and live the rest of our lives.
“I can leave whatever I did on the field, but this type of stuff stays with you your whole life.”