Published: October 14, 2008 12:23 am            

KICK IT: The ball is back with more picks

The crystal ball didn’t do too bad a job last week with the boys’ sectional championships, being spot on with everything but for New Albany’s deserved victory over tired rival Floyd Central.

If I told you that the Bulldog parents warned they would let loose the hounds on me if I put the “Kelly Jinx” on their overburdened shoulders one more time, then you might understand why the ball got a bit fuzzy for that one.

Otherwise, I’m quite happy with my ball.

A tight Jeff win over Christian Academy which had the potential of “shock result” written all over it. A Providence sectional title that didn’t come as easy as some thought it would. Even a Salem penalty-kick victory over Silver Creek, which secured the Lions their first-ever sectional final appearance in just two years of a soccer program.

And it’s a good job that I’m on satisfactory terms with my circular crystal object, because it will be severely tested by this week’s nine-team girls’ sectional championship.

Will New Albany, seeking its first-ever IHSAA sectional title, continue its good form into the postseason and overcome Providence once again?

Will Floyd Central stave off the challenge to its crown should it get to Friday’s finale?

Or could there possibly be a fly in the ointment from the remainder of the field?

And what about the boys’ regional championship which starts Wednesday, with Providence up against Madison and New Albany taking on No. 4 ranked Columbus North?

Read on ...



JEFF GIRLS’ SECTIONAL

• Match 2 — Silver Creek vs. Salem (today, 6 p.m.): Both schools met in the boys’ sectional last week, with Salem coming out on top on penalty kicks.

Silver Creek has a chance to turn the tables here in what is both teams’ first foray into the sectionals. Freshmen Deziree Cook and Kathleen Himmelheber lead the Dragons’ offense, while others to keep an eye out for are senior Heather Stacey and sophomore goalkeeper Julia Menendez.

Verdict: Silver Creek.

• Match 3 — New Albany vs. Providence (tonight, 8): Both teams have beaten reigning sectional champion Floyd Central this year, and both are in good shape going into the postseason.

And if you look to the game between the pair in the regular season, you’ll find a ding-dong battle that could easily have gone either way before the Bulldogs sneaked a 3-2 victory with just 31 seconds remaining.

So where will this game be won or lost?

A lot will depend on how Providence dealing with New Albany’s Kaitlin Robinett. And if there’s anyone in a position to formulate a plan to repel the Bulldogs’ major goal getter, it’s Pioneers coach Dave Smith.

Smith, director of coaching at Net-Surfers, has known Robinett since she was a whippersnapper.

“I clearly remember the first day Kaitlin came out for the Surfers,” he recalled. “She was 9 years old and full of energy. For several of her early years with us, she played goalkeeper and was very effective. She’s always had a strong motor so it’s no surprise she’s playing attacking midfielder for Julie now.”

First-year Bulldog coach Julie Deuser, also a coach at Net-Surfers, has full confidence in Robinett, a three-time State Cup winner with her Louisville club, Mockingbird.

“When she gets it in a position to score, she’s going to put it in,” said Deuser.

Of course, there are many others on both sides that are not adverse to changing a game, or stopping the opposition in its tracks.

You’ve got Providence’s powerful trio of Laura Jenkins, Maddie Smith and keeper Alyssa Hendershot, who all played with Robinett on that team in the early days, as well as Cristian May-Boquiren, Megan Eve, Jaclyn Mann and Hillary Forsee.

Then with the Bulldogs there are the Cole sisters — Kayton, a sophomore, and freshman Kameron Cole — who has burst onto the high school scene this year. In defense, you have Lindsay Hack and ODP freshman Taylor Little, while Taylor Briscoe is between the posts.

Deuser said she believes they are prepared for “any team out there.”

“I like doing things the hard way,” she said. “ I think that the game against Providence will be a challenge, but it is not something we can’t succeed at. These girls have worked hard all season and I believe they can beat any team they play.”

Whatever the result, New Albany have injected more life into this sectional and in the process have added a third team to the list that can actually win it. Whether it’s this year or not remains to be seen.

Verdict: Providence.

• Match 4 — Christian Academy of Indiana vs. Jeffersonville (Wednesday, 6 p.m.): The Warriors’ girls’ team participates in their first postseason contest, and this will be the first-ever meeting between the schools in girls’ soccer.

Senior and captain Samantha Chestnut is the team’s standout, while others to look out for are sophomore Ollie Ballew, junior Stephanie Smith and freshman Bailey Couch.

Jeffersonville has had another tough season, registering just a couple of wins. But the Red Devils will be hoping to get through this one. Helping them to do so will be left-footed freshman forward Bekah Burgin, seniors Brittany Searcy, Heather Duvall and Becky Cissell, and Britney Lipps, Devin Conway and Rachelle Thomas.

Verdict: Jeffersonville.

• Match 5 — Floyd Central vs. Corydon Central (Wednesday, 8 p.m.): No doubt about it — the Highlanders’ have been handed a smooth passage to the sectional final. Expect them to handle the Panthers, who tied with Seymour last week.

Verdict: Floyd Central.

• Match 6 (Semifinal) — Silver Creek vs. Providence (Thursday, 6 p.m.): The reward for the winner of the Providence-New Albany clash will be a semifinal tilt with one of the newcomers.

Verdict Providence.

• Match 7 (Semifinal) — Jeffersonville vs. Floyd Central (Thursday, 8 p.m.): Floyd Central has already beaten Jeffersonville comfortably 5-1 in the regular season, and it’s hard to see this turning out any differently.

Verdict Floyd Central.

• Championship — Providence vs. Floyd Central (Friday, 7 p.m.): Floyd Central has a score to settle with whoever it may play in the championship decider.

Beaten by both Providence and New Albany in the regular season, Lewie Stevens’ charges will be determined to turn the tables here.

Last year’s sectional champion and regional finalist returns with a number of its star performers, including midfielder Nikki Korte, attacker April Vanderplow and defender Brigid Morrissey.

A welcome addition is freshman Lauren Haley of Javanon, who played on this year’s Kentucky ODP ‘93 team.

A 3-1 victory over Seymour last week — a team that beat both New Albany and Providence — suggests the Highlanders are hitting form at the right time and could go on to meet the Columbus North sectional winner in the regional championship on Oct. 22.

Verdict: Floyd Central.



SEYMOUR BOYS’ REGIONAL

• Match 1 — Madison vs. Providence (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.): Providence (11-7-0) beat Madison 4-1 at home in the regular season, and if the Pioneers come to Seymour with their “A” game, they should prevail again. A lot will be expected from Providence midfielder Ben Hughes and Pioneer attacker Keenan Sparks.

Verdict Providence.

• Match 2 — Columbus North vs. New Albany (Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.): The one certainty about this game is that the Bulldogs will progress, as it is the nickname shared by both Columbus North and New Albany (actually, North are the “Bull Dogs”, but we won’t get pedantic).

Another strong possibility is that North will move on to Saturday’s regional final, as it would take a performance of monumental proportions for Dutch Vigar’s charges to topple a team that’s been ranked as high as No. 3 in the state this season.

The one quality this New Albany (9-7-3) outfit has, however, is that it is never short on effort and it will fight until the final buzzer.

Verdict: Columbus North.

• Regional championship — Columbus North vs. Providence (Saturday, 7 p.m.)

This pairing would see last year’s winner, Columbus North, against 2006’s winner Providence.

Is there any way the Pioneers can cause a major upset and overcome the mighty Bull Dogs?

They could load the defense, adding Sparks to the center of it with Nathan Marshall (Sparks, incidentally, plays defense for his club Javanon), and hope to hold strong while looking for the odd break, maybe even taking it to PKs.

In any event, reaching the regional final would be a nice send-off for Providence’s 10 senior players.

Verdict: Columbus North.

Contact Aidan Kelly at aidokaydo@gmail.com.

        

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