By Ken Severson
Guerin Catholic High School proved that the third time is the charm Oct. 27 as the Golden Eagles won the IHSAA Class 2A girls soccer championship.
The Golden Eagles defeated Leo 1-0 to secure the first girls soccer title in school history after two previous tries in the state championship ended in defeat.
“The biggest key in this run was the seniors,” Guerin Catholic coach Sean Yau said. “They were around as freshmen the last time we were in the state championship, and their experience, resiliency and playing above the fray helped the younger team members. They challenged each other.”
That was especially true after last season, when Guerin Catholic finished with a losing season.
Yau and the Golden Eagles were determined not to let that happen again.
“They believed in themselves,” Yau said. “It’s a testament to the girls. They ultimately had a goal of a championship, and they never took a day off of practice.”
Guerin Catholic had two seniors, Alex Soucie and Annabel Wright, that paced the team. Soucie led the team with 13 goals and 11 assists, and Wright had 11 goals and seven assists.
Yau also said the way the Golden Eagles performed on the pitch was key. He said by playing their game and not the other team’s way usually dictated the outcome. That was never more evident in the championship game.
The Golden Eagles took the lead late in the first half when Gabby Deer scored on a pass from Katherine Constantino.
Guerin Catholic’s defense then took over to give the Golden Eagles their 15th shutout of the season.
“We dictated the play of the game and had possession of the ball 80 percent of the time,” Yau said. “We couldn’t finish all our possessions and Leo deserves full credit for that.”
Yau also credited the Golden Eagles’ defense.
Guerin Catholic had nine seniors, including five starters. The Golden Eagles will return 15 players next season.
Additionally, Constantino won the Class 2A Mental Attitude Award.
Guerin Catholic’s finished with a 16-4-1 record, including a nine-game unbeaten streak and eight-game winning streak.
