Girls Sectional Championship Preview
48 Girls Soccer Sectional Champions will be drowned across Indiana on Saturday as the high school soccer season winds down. There are several matches featuring ranked teams playing each other. We will preview those matchups and also give you the schedule for the remaining matches.
#3 Westfield and #7 Noblesville in Sectional 9
The Shamrocks have had a great tournament run so far as they defeated #6 Zionsville 2-1 and #4 Carmel 2-1. Against Zionsville, Sophie Croft and Colbie Thornhill scored the goals for the rocks. Against Carmel, goals came from Hailey McDaniel and Avery Van Der Berg. Between the two teams, they definitely have had the tougher road.
Noblesville has gotten to the final by defeating Pike 9-0.
Noblesville may be the more rested of these two teams, These two matched up on September 9th and Westfield defeated Noblesville 1-0. Van Der Berg scored the lone goal for the Shamrocks in that matchup.
#5 Center Grove and #17 East Central in Sectional 13
While these schools are outside of different metropolitan areas, they get to meet up for the final in Sectional 13. Both schools have been consistent pillars in HS Girls Soccer and the history of the state tournament.
Center Grove made their way to the final with scores of 10-0 over Franklin Community and 8-0 over Whiteland. Center Grove can both score as they have 93 goals so far and play defense as they have only given up 14 goals all season
It was a much tougher road for East Central.. They knocked off #16 Lawrenceburg 1-0 and 20th ranked Columbus North in a shootout. East Central is a very defensive minded team as they have only given up 13 goals this season. They are not as explosive as Center Grove as they have scored just 68 goals.
One thing is for certain. The Trojans will win Sectional 13. The question is will it be Center Grove or East Central? The last time these teams met was last year’s season opener. Center Grove took that match 4-1. Both of these teams saw their season end against Carmel. The meter appears to go the way of Center Grove, but these matches are played on a pitch and not on paper.
#10 Guerin Catholic vs. #3 Park Tudor in Sectional 24
Every team in this section was ranked heading in so this championship could go a long way in setting up someone for a deep tournament run.
Guerin Catholic has played much better in the 2nd half of the season. The Eagles started 1-5 on the season and since went 5-3-2. The schedule is also a 3A schedule.
Park Tudor also plays a tougher schedule. In tournament play, the Panthers have improved on regular season results on the teams they have played so far.
These teams have not met in recent history according to Maxpreps.
#15 Heritage Hills vs. #17 Washington in Sectional 31
In a battle of PAC schools, Heritage Hills will take on Washington. This matchup in the regular season went to Penalty Kicks and it was Heritage Hills who defeated Washington.
Heritage Hill last lost on September 15th against Jasper. In that stretch, the Patriots have outscored their opponents 46-4.
Washington fell on the 28th of September to Forest Park 1-0. Prior to that, their last loss also came against Jasper.
This is a true toss up.
#5 Mater Dei vs. #1 Memorial in Sectional 32
What needs to be said about this one. The Bishop Bowl for the right for a Sectional Title.
Mater Dei gave Memorial 1 of their 2 losses this season with the other from Zionsville. The Wildcats however have lost 3 of their last 5.
Memorial hasn’t lost since Labor Day weekend. In that stretch, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 72-7.
There is a good chance this one could be longer than 80 minutes so if you plan to attend, make sure you have a seating pad.
#2 Westview vs. #7 Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian in Sectional 35
This is the second matchup in the highlighted bunch where these teams have never met. This matchup appears to be evenly matched based off of mutual opponents.
Blackhawk Christian in their last 5 has outscored their opponents 22-2 and has gone 4-0-1 in that stretch. Westview lost their regular season finale to Colcord.
Focus is a question that comes up in a tournament run. On paper, Blackhawk Christian may be more prepared to pull the upset than Westview to defend their rank.
#5 Oak Hill va. #12 Sheridan in Sectional 38
Oak Hill has been solid at 16-1 while Sheridan hasn’t been shabby either at 10-4-1. The difference is the strength of schedule and who the losses are to.
This one also has a potential for an upset based off of that data.
#6 Switzerland Co. vs. #1 Oldenburg Academy in Sectional 44.
Sounds very similar to Sectional 38. These teams are both good. The difference is strength of schedule.
Oldenburg Academy is #1 in 1A because of their losses and wins. Their losses are to New Palestine, Park Tudor, Lawrenceburg, and Columbus North while they also have a draw against Bloomington South. Looking at key wins, South Dearborn, Northeast Dubois, Heritage Christian, and a previous win over Switzerland Co. on September 17th make the list.
For Switzerland Co., there is some teams on that schedule that add some strength; Silver Creek, Batesville, Heritage Christian, and South Dearborn. That’s being said, the schedule is not near the strength that Oldenburg has.
Going through the numbers, this points to Oldenburg Academy.
#3 Forest Park vs. #20 South Spencer in Sectional 48
Well this is not the ranked matchup that was expected, this is the one that has come out of this bracket.
Forest Park played Evansville Christian to a 3-3 draw earlier in the season while defeating South Spencer 2-1. The rebels on Wednesday avenged an earlier loss by knocking off Evansville Christian.
Forest Park has had the easier run through the bracket, but it comes down to who wants it more? So far, the South Spencer Rebels have played that way in this tournament. That being said, history points the way of Forest Park on this one. South Spencer has not defeated the Forest Park Rangers since September 19th of 2016. Since that time, the Rebels have only scored at most one goal in a matchup against the Rangers.
Full Slate
| 1 | Lake Central | (14) Crown Point | 3 PM ET | ||
| 2 | Chesterton | (19) Valparaiso | 3 PM ET | ||
| 3 | Michigan City | (8 Mishawaka Marian | 2 PM ET | ||
| 4 | (20) Northridge | Goshen | 2 PM ET | ||
| 5 | Warsaw | (2) Homestead | 2 PM ET | ||
| 6 | FW Snider | (12) FW Northrop | 2 PM ET | ||
| 7 | Harrison (WL) | Lafayette Jeff | 3 PM ET | ||
| 8 | Pendleton Heights | (1) Hamilton SE | 2 PM ET | ||
| 9 | (3) Westfield | (7) Noblesville | 2 PM ET | ||
| 10 | (13) Cathedral | Warren Central | 2 PM ET | ||
| 11 | (18) Avon | Brownsburg | 2 PM ET | ||
| 12 | Greenfield Central | Franklin Central | 2 PM ET | ||
| 13 | (5) Center Grove | (17) East Central | 2 PM ET | ||
| 14 | Mooresville | Bloomington South | 2 PM ET | ||
| 15 | Floyd Central | New Albany | 2 PM ET | ||
| 16 | (10) EV North | Castle | 3 PM ET | ||
| 17 | Illiana Christian | Highland | 3 PM ET | ||
| 18 | Northwood | (2) SB St. Joseph | 2 PM ET | ||
| 19 | (19) DeKalb | East Noble | 2 PM ET | ||
| 20 | FW Luers | (9) Bellmont | 2 PM ET | ||
| 21 | Frankfort | West Lafayette | 2 PM ET | ||
| 22 | Northwestern | Culver Academy | 2 PM ET | ||
| 23 | Eastbrook | Delta | 2 PM ET | ||
| 24 | (10) Guerin Catholic | (3) Park Tudor | 2 PM ET | ||
| 25 | Beech Grove | Christel House | 2 PM ET | ||
| 26 | New Castle | Greensburg | 2 PM ET | ||
| 27 | Danville | (6) Tri-West | 2 PM ET | ||
| 28 | West Vigo | Sullivan | 2 PM ET | ||
| 29 | South Dearborn | (7) Batesville | 2 PM ET | ||
| 30 | Charlestown | Silver Creek | 2 PM ET | ||
| 31 | (15) Heritage Hills | (17) Washington | 2 PM ET | ||
| 32 | (5) EV Mater Dei | (1) EV Memorial | 3 PM ET | ||
| 33 | Andrean | (18) Boone Grove | 3 PM ET | ||
| 34 | (11) Trinity Academy | LaVille | 2 PM ET | ||
| 35 | (2) Westview | (7) FW Blackhawk | 2 PM ET | ||
| 36 | Manchester | Argos | 2 PM ET | ||
| 37 | Faith Christian | (16) Covington | 2 PM ET | ||
| 38 | (5) Oak Hill | (12) Sheridan | 2 PM ET | ||
| 39 | Muncie Burris | South Adams | 2 PM ET | ||
| 40 | Cardinal Ritter | Covenant Christian | 2 PM ET | ||
| 41 | Greencastle | Monrovia | 2 PM ET | ||
| 42 | Greenwood Christian | Triton Central | 2 PM ET | ||
| 43 | (13) Shawe Memorial | Brown County | 2 PM ET | ||
| 44 | (6) Switzerland Co. | (1) Oldenburg Academy | 2 PM ET | ||
| 45 | (15) White River Valley | NE Dubois | 2 PM ET | ||
| 46 | South Knox | Pike Central | 2 PM ET | ||
| 47 | Christian Academy of IN | (4) Providence | 2 PM ET | ||
| 48 | (3) Forest Park | (20) South Spencer | 3 PM ET |