Castle, Memorial, Jasper, Mater Dei win girls soccer sectional championships

NEWBURGH — Aleyna Quinn couldn’t believe it. Neither could her Castle teammates.

Only 23 seconds had ticked away on the scoreboard when Quinn sliced through the defense to score the opening goal. That itself wasn’t surprising. But when you pair it with what followed three minutes later, it probably was.

Because in a battle – this game fit the definition – between top-10 teams, the opening four minutes were ultimately the difference.

No. 4 Castle defeated No. 10 Reitz 2-1 to win the Class 3A sectional championship on Saturday. Both goals came in a blitzing start from the Knights. A lead it never surrendered.

“That was not what I was expecting,” said Castle coach Michael Fauerbach. “The way we play is so hard to beat when we play the right way. This team is just something else with the talent level and amount of hard work.”

The start was a shell shock to both sides. Quinn, a Ball State commit, finished a ball from Ashlyn Francis before the popcorn was ready. The latter returned the favor in the fourth minute with a left-footed strike just inside the box.

Castle 2, Reitz 0. A perfect and shocking start. If only the rest of the game was that simple.

The Panthers (15-4-1) turned this into the showdown many anticipated when the draw was released. Matea Bradfield found the side netting with a curling 16-yard shot with 10 minutes remaining in the half.

Neither team scored the rest of the way but not for lack of effort. In a game with razor-thin margins for error, those first four minutes were vital.

“It was an all-out battle,” said Quinn. “Give it to Reitz. They gave us a great game. (The start) almost took my breath away. This entire week and season we’ve worked together as a group. We’ve continued to get better every day.”

It was the opportunity the Knights (15-1) targeted all season. They lost to their rival in the sectional championship last year. No sugarcoating it. Castle wanted the rematch and relished the opportunity.

The victory also backed up a regular season that proved the Knights were the top team in the area. They finished the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference slate perfect with only two goals allowed. The attack, as shown in those opening minutes, can be electric.

It was a process to reach this point in year one under Fauerbach, who took over after Doug Diedrich retired last October. But Castle answered the call. The next step is Floyd Central in the regional.

“We knew it would be a battle,” said Fauerbach. “They just have so much grit. I implemented a whole new system. They put everything together.”

— Kyle Sokeland

Tigers win fourth straight sectional championship

LINCOLN CITY — It's been an interesting season for Memorial.

This isn’t the same team that won back-to-back state championships. The Tigers graduated five Division I players, lost close matches and dealt with injuries. Plus, they were without senior captain Emily Wittmer after she broke her wrist Tuesday against Heritage Hills.

Nevertheless, the Tigers defeated Boonville 6-0 in the Class 2A sectional championship Saturday evening to clinch their 23rd sectional title, the second-most in Indiana, as well as their fifth in the last six seasons.

Players have come and gone. No. 8 Memorial remains one of the most consistent programs in the state.

“It’s because of these girls,” Memorial coach Angie Lensing said. “It’s the work they put in (during) the summer and throughout the season. We’re just really proud of their ability to fight through adversity and come away with a sectional championship.”

While Memorial (19-7) had production to replace, its underclassmen embraced stepping into higher roles and made a difference.

Two freshmen are tied for third in goals this season with six, including Carringtyn Sturgeon. She scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Gibson Southern Thursday and played a key role against the Pioneers (3-10).

Her confidence has grown exponentially this fall.

“After I started scoring more and getting more confident on this team, being able to help out has been great,” Sturgeon said. “It’s been a good feeling.”

Six Tigers scored. Two came from free kicks, including junior Myla Browning's before the end of the first half.

“It was exciting,” Browning said. “We already had a few on the board, so just adding one in personally gave more momentum for me. I just wanted to help my other teammates get a goal in, too.”

Memorial continues its postseason journey against Silver Creek in the regional semifinals at Washington. The winner will face either No. 9 Monrovia or Jasper in the championship.

The Tigers aim to go as far as they can this postseason. While they believe they have what it takes to make it back to state, they want to maintain the proper perspective.

“We’re looking forward to doing it as a team,” senior Kate Jackson said. “No matter what happens the rest of this season, we have each other.”

— Treasure Washington

Two more SIAC teams win championships

No. 5 Mater Dei defended its Class 1A sectional title with a 4-1 victory over No. 14 Forest Park at South Spencer. The Wildcats dominated throughout with a 3-0 advantage by halftime. Olivia Niemeier scored twice followed by Morgan Wannemuehler and Ava Helming.

Mater Dei (12-6) travels to South Knox for the regional semifinal. The Spartans advanced with a 4-2 win over White River Valley.

No. 20 Jasper also advanced with a 5-0 victory against Princeton in the 2A title game at Jasper. All five goals came in the first half with Lily Hulsman and Emily Kleiser scoring twice each. The Wildcats (11-7-1) travel to Monrovia in the regional.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Castle, Memorial, Mater Dei win IHSAA girls soccer sectional titles