By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands won its first regional championship in girls soccer since 2010 with a 1-0 victory over Notre Dame in the 9th Region final on Thursday at Ryle High School.
Freshman forward Chloe Bramble scored the game’s only goal midway through the first half and that was enough for the Bluebirds, who posted their ninth consecutive shutout and 17th of the season.
Highlands players pose for photos with their regional championship trophy. (Photo from team’s Twitter page)
Notre Dame had won seven straight regional titles. During that run, the Pandas had a 5-0 record against Highlands in playoff games.
The Bluebirds broke both of those streaks on Thursday to earn a berth in the 16-team state tournament bracket. They will play the winner of the 10th Region final between Scott and George Rogers Clark in a sectional game that’s tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Tower Park.
Simon Kenton qualified for the girls state soccer tournament for the fourth consecutive year by defeating South Oldham, 1-0, in the 8th Region championship game on Thursday at Simon Kenton.
Junior midfielder Cayla Coleman scored the Pioneers’ goal off an assist by freshman Ellie Dreas and senior goalkeeper Skylin Yates posted her 10th shutout in that game.
Simon Kenton is scheduled to play the winner of the 7th Region championship game between Louisville Sacred Heart and Assumption in a state tournament game that’s scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in Louisville.
In boys regional semifinal games on Thursday, Covington Catholic and Highlands advanced to the 9th Region final, but Brossart and Campbell County were both eliminated in the 10th Region tournament.
Highlands defeated Cooper, 4-0, with Porter Hedenberg, Max Johncox, Demetri Sarakatsannis and Caymon Stevie scoring goals for the Bluebirds. Their team will take a 19-1-3 record into the regional final at 1 p.m. Saturday at CovCath.
In the other regional semifinal match, CovCath slammed Dixie Heights, 6-0, to post its eighth straight victory and seventh consecutive shutout. The Colonels have a 12-8-2 record that includes a 4-1 loss to Highlands in September.
Girls soccer regionals
9th Region at Ryle
Wednesday
Highlands 2, St. Henry 0
Notre Dame 1, Newport Central Catholic 0
Thursday
Championship: Highlands 1, Notre Dame 0
8th Region at Simon Kenton
Tuesday
South Oldham 3, Anderson County 0
Simon Kenton 1, Oldham County 0
Thursday
Championship: Simon Kenton 1, South Oldham 0
10th Region at Scott
Wednesday
George Rogers Clark 1, Campbell County 0
Scott 8, Montgomery County 0
Saturday
Championship: George Rogers Clark vs. Scott, 12 p.m.
Boys soccer regionals
9th Region at Covington Catholic
Thursday
Highlands 4, Cooper 0
Covington Catholic 6, Dixie Heights 0
Saturday
Championship: Covington Catholic vs. Highlands, 1 p.m.
10th Region at Pendleton County
Thursday
Pendleton County 2, Brossart 0
Montgomery County 2, Campbell County 0
Saturday
Championship: Pendleton County vs. Montgomery County, 6 p.m.
8th Region at Collins
Wednesday
Oldham County 4, Simon Kenton 0
South Oldham 2, Grant County 1
Thursday
Championship: South Oldham 1, Oldham County 0
