TOP: The Carmel boys soccer team won its first regional title in four years on Saturday, Oct. 18, beating No. 1 Brownsburg 2-0. (ABOVE) The Guerin Catholic boys soccer team beat West Lafayette 6-0 to win the Concordia Lutheran regional Saturday, Oct. 18.
By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The Carmel boys soccer team won a No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown to claim its own regional title on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The Class 3A No. 2-ranked Greyhounds put together a fine defensive effort to defeat No. 1 Brownsburg and win their first regional title since 2021 at their home field, Brian Murray Stadium. Carmel travels to Martinsville on Saturday to compete for the Class 3A south semi-state.
Carmel goalkeeper Robert “Gray” Morgan celebrates with family and friends after the win. (Richie Hall)
Curtis Droste scored the Hounds’ first goal 10 minutes into the game, with Mikey Kubek making the assist. The score stayed at 1-0 until halftime and a few minutes into the second half.
Troy Enslin put in Carmel’s insurance goal four minutes into the second half, easily kicking in a 16-footer from the right side. Droste assisted that score.
“He hit the shot against Zionsville in the sectional final,” said Greyhounds coach Shane Schmidt. “Almost about the same spot with the same type of situation, on running through on the right wing like that.”
Meanwhile, Carmel’s defense was doing its job and doing so quite well. The Greyhounds recorded their 14th shutout of the season and have yet to give up a goal in five post-season games.
Carmel goalkeeper Robert “Gray” Morgan – his middle name is Grayson; “I was named after my grandfather and my mom gave me the nickname ‘Gray,’” he said – totaled three saves.
“In the locker room, we’re always talking about how we approach every competitor the same way,” said Morgan. “We’re always talking about how we need to lock in on a certain player, on a certain thing that we need to do. And it was no different today.”
Schmidt said that in every pre-game talk, one of the things that gets discussion “is the fact that communication equals organization. And the more we communicate, the better organized we can be, and the better our team shape is.”
Carmel improved to 16-1-3 for the season, while Brownsburg finished its campaign 19-1-1.
The Greyhounds will play No. 7 Bloomington South at noon Saturday for the 3A south semi-state championship. No. 1 Harrison and No. 18 South Bend Adams play at 5 p.m. Saturday for the 3A north semi-state title in Chesterton. The semi-state winners advance to the 3A state finals.
Golden Eagles fly past West Lafayette
Guerin Catholic’s boys are back in the semi-state for the first time in five years.
The Class 2A No. 2 Golden Eagles triumphed at the Concordia Lutheran regional Saturday, Oct. 18, cruising past West Lafayette 6-0. It’s the first regional win for Guerin Catholic since 2020.
Six different players scored one goal for the Golden Eagles: Christian Zermeno, Eli Megel, Will Scheu, Zach Sawyer, Conner Klen and Gabriel Rios. Scheu and Klen both dished out two assists, while Braden Lindley had one assist.
Goalkeeper Ryan McGrath made two saves. It was GC’s 11th shutout of the season.
Guerin Catholic is 16-4 and plays No. 4 Hanover Central at 1 p.m. Saturday for the Class 2A north semi-state at Chesterton. No. 8 Heritage Hills and No. 11 Bishop Chatard play Saturday at Evansville North for the 2A south semi-state, with the winners going to the 2A state finals.
