Carmel’s Quinn Wu has scored seven goals and made seven assists for the Greyhounds this season. (Richie Hall)
By RICHIE HALL
Carmel boys soccer coach Shane Schmidt said that he is a “defender at heart.”
That’s why he is “super proud” of his team’s defensive effort during the IHSAA postseason. That defense is also the reason why the No. 3-ranked Greyhounds are playing in the Class 3A state championship game, which takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday at IUPUI’s Michael Carroll Stadium.
Carmel has pitched a shutout in all six of the postseason games it has played – part of a streak that has lasted for over a month. The Hounds last gave up a goal on Sept. 23 when they tied with Noblesville 1-1.
Since then, Carmel has won nine straight shutout games. One of those was against Harrison, the team that the Greyhounds will play in the state championship contest. Carmel won 1-0 Sept. 30 on the Raiders’ field.
Enslin
“They were very good,” Schmidt said of No. 5-ranked Harrison, the defending 3A state champion. “They played well. They had two guys that were their centerpieces.”
Those players are junior Adan Robles (#10), who is the co-leader in goals scored for the Raiders with 19 and has also dished out four assists. Senior Franklin Caceres (#11) was the other player; he leads in assists with 13 and has also scored nine goals.
Senior Joey McKenna Jr. is the other co-leader in goals scored with 19 and has handed out seven assists as well.
Harrison began its postseason run by winning the Logansport sectional. The Raiders beat Kokomo 10-2 in the first round, edged out McCutcheon 1-0 in the semifinals and took care of the host Berries 4-1 in the championship.
In the regional, Harrison beat No. 10 Hamilton Southeastern 2-1 at the Raiders’ field, then won a shootout with No. 20 Homestead to win the championship at Kokomo. Harrison defeated No. 18 South Bend Adams 1-0 to claim the Chesterton semi-state.
Carmel started the tournament with a win at the Noblesville sectional. The Hounds began with a 2-0 first-round victory over North Central, won a shootout over No. 11 Noblesville and beat No. 19 Zionsville 2-0 to win their fifth consecutive sectional title.
Carmel hosted both of its regional games. The Greyhounds got past Lawrence North 1-0 in the semifinals, then knocked off No. 1 Brownsburg 2-0 to win the championship. Carmel played No. 7 Bloomington South in the Martinsville semi-state and blasted a 5-0 victory.
The Greyhounds have balanced scoring: seven players have at least three goals to their credit. The scoring leader is senior Troy Enslin with nine.
A lineup switch involving Enslin helped Carmel with its late-season success. Enslin had been starting up top, but the Hounds started playing senior Curtis Droste in that position, then bring Enslin in later in the game. Carmel started switch in its regular-season game with Harrison.
“We tried that for the first time and Troy came in and scored the only goal of the game,” said Schmidt.
Enslin has stepped up for the Greyhounds, scoring the game-winners against North Central, Zionsville and Brownsburg. He made an assist in the semi-state game, “so he’s been super-productive,” said Schmidt.
Senior Evan Bardos put in three goals for Carmel against Bloomington South in the semi-state.
“He doubled his season total in one game,” said Schmidt. “He works so hard and gives everything in every game.”
Of course, it all comes back to the defense. Schmidt is quick to credit his players – “they’re the ones that execute the Xs and Os,” he said. “They take pride in what they do and how they play and everything else.”
The list includes senior midfielders Quinn Wu, Max Housholder and Alex Rubin, along with senior defender Saaketh Tadikonda.
Wu has seven goals and seven assists, while senior Xander Dora has six assists. Junior Mikey Kubek has dished out eight assists, but he was injured during the regional and is unable to play in the state championship game. Bardos and sophomore Jet Truitt each have scored six goals.
Junior goalkeeper Gray Morgan has 55 saves and a goal against average of 0.439.
