Harrison (WL) Wins 1st Boys Soccer Title in Class 3A
Harrison reached the top of the mountain Saturday, holding off Castle, 3-2, in the boys Class 3-A state championship game at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.
The third-ranked Raiders (20-1-2) reached the title game in 2015, but lost to Center Grove. This time, Harrison overcame an early deficit to capture the school’s first state title in any sport since 1995 (baseball).
Castle, seeking its second boys soccer state title (2000), opened the scoring on a Rolando Macias goal in the 26th minute. Barely a minute later, the Raiders tied it when Max Miller rifled in a shot from 20 yards out, then took the lead on Jakub Hall’s 41st goal of the season in the 36th minute.
In the 64th minute, Jesus Hernandez netted his first goal of the season after taking a beautiful give-and-go pass from Riley Hogan for a 3-1 lead.
Castle (17-5-1) didn’t give up, however, pulling within a goal on an unassisted tally by Michael Lonnberg with four minutes left. The Knights, however, couldn’t get the equalizer.
Castle’s loss spoiled a perfect day for the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference. Three SIAC members, Evansville Memorial’s boys and girls (Class 2-A) as well as Mater Dei’s girls (1-A) each won their respective championship games earlier Saturday.
Pete Newton of Harrison (West Lafayette) earns C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award
Pete Newton of Harrison High School in West Lafayette was named the winner of the C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award, sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, for Boys Class 3A Soccer by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee.
The Raiders’ two-time team captain has helped lead Harrison to three conference championships in addition to four sectional, four regional and two semi-state titles in his four years on the varsity soccer team. The defenseman totaled 37 steals to lead the defense in giving up less than a goal per game on average throughout the season. Newton also excels in the classroom, ranking first in his class of 470 students and being recognized as an Academic All-State student-athlete twice. Pete is very involved in school extracurriculars besides soccer as well, playing on the basketball and golf teams, being a member of the National Honor Society and serving as the student body president. He also is active in the community, volunteering with Special Olympics basketball, Riley Dance Marathon and Best Buddies Club and being a Church Youth Group leader.
The son of Sam and Denise Newton, Pete plans on attending Indiana to study Accounting and Finance.
The IHSAA Executive Committee, on behalf of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, will award a scholarship for $1,000 to Harrison High School (West Lafayette) in the name of Pete Newton. Since 1989, almost $900,000 in college scholarships has been presented to deserving high school students in Indiana.