INDIANAPOLIS – Harrison coach Bryan Clouse didn’t think his team would have to change much of its game plan coming into the Class 3-A boys state title game.
“Hey, we were the only undefeated team in Class 3-A,” Clouse pointed out. “We just wanted to establish what we do well. All year long, we’ve been great at it and the players understand what we do well.”
What the fourth-ranked Raiders did well in the title game against Bloomington South was to control the tempo, keep on the attack and frustrate the opponent.
When junior Franklin Caceres finally dented the scoreboard in the 46th minute, Harrison had all it needed for a 1-0 victory.
The win completes and unbeaten season for the Raiders at 19-0-4, finishing on a 14-game winning streak – 11 by shutout.
Clouse has now guided Harrison to both its state titles, with the first coming in 2017. Harrison also fell in the 2015 title game.
The loss ended a great season for the Panthers (20-2), which came in on a 19-game winning streak.
“We just didn’t play ready and that’s frustrating,” coach Corbin Calvert said. “They outmuscled and outworked us to the ball and we couldn’t create any offense because we were fighting for our lives in the middle.”
Harrison held the Panthers without a shot in the first half and only four for the game, while the Raiders recorded 18 shots of their own.
Yet, it was still scoreless at the intermission.
“It was certainly an intense game,” Caceres said, “but we had to keep moving, play the ball and keep working.”
Harrison had the best scoring chance of the first half when junior Ivan Gutierrez sent a shot from 15 yards out on the left of the Bloomington South goal and hit the right post.
Finally, the Raiders broke through when Caceres emerged from a pack of players at the top of the box and beat BN keeper Owen Gerber to the left side.
“I took a touch and just let it go,” Caceres said of the unassisted goal. “When you have a shot, you take it. There’s nothing to lose.”
It was the first time Bloomington South had trailed in a game since its only loss – a 3-0 defeat to No. 1 Center Grove on Aug. 22. Since that point, the Panthers had outscored opponents, 88-12.
“We watched film of them and how they scored is exactly how we thought they would score,” Calvert said. “It was like watching our entire game plan play out on their said.
“And, yes, that was very frustrating.”
Sophomore Adam Schneider recorded the shutout in goal, making two saves.
Class 3A Boys State Championship Records
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Bloomington South’s Brayden Doyle earns Cato Mental Attitude Award
Following the match, Brayden Doyle or Bloomington South was named the recipient of the C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award.
Brayden ranks 19th in his senior class and is a member of the National Honor Society. He’s a three year captain of Bloomington South’s Soccer Team and a four-year varsity player. He’s a two time All-District player, one time All-Conference, and has been named as an All-State Honorable Mention.
The son of Joe and Trisha Doyle of Bloomington, Indiana, Brayden is currently undecided on his college choice but plans to study kinesiology and physical therapy.
The award is annually presented to a senior, who is nominated by his principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability during his four years of high school. The award is named in honor of Mr. Cato, who served the IHSAA as its fifth commissioner from 1983 to 1995. During his tenure, boys and girls soccer became the 19th and 20th sports to be sponsored by the IHSAA.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the general scholarship fund at Bloomington South High School in the name of Brayden Doyle.