By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands sophomore Chloe Bramble scored a goal in the first sudden death overtime period to give her team a 1-0 victory over Louisville Sacred Heart in the semifinals of the girls state soccer tournament on Thursday at Bryan Station High School in Lexington.
In last year’s state final, Sacred Heart defeated Highlands, 2-1, but the Bluebirds are the ones returning to the championship game at 8 p.m. Saturday to face Greenwood for the 2019 state title.
Chloe Bramble
Bramble had scored a team-high 15 goals going into Thursday night’s game, but she got the biggest one of her career at the 2:23 mark in overtime. That’s when she received a pass from teammate Faith Broering and ripped a shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net for the game-winner.
Highlands senior goalkeeper Maggie Hinegardner, who was injured for much of the season, made four saves in Thursday’s victory. Sacred Heart finished with a 9-6 advantage in shots and 5-0 advantage in corner kicks, but the Valkyries became the 13th team shut out by the Bluebirds this season.
Sacred Heart had a six-game winning streak against Highlands, including a 2-1 win on Oct. 5. The Bluebirds have won eight games in a row since that setback and will take a 20-3-5 record into Saturday’s title game.
This is the fifth time that Highlands has reached the state final in girls soccer. If the Bluebirds win the season finale against Greenwood (22-2-3), they will add the state championship trophy to the ones they brought home in 2005 and 2006.
Greenwood will be making its first appearance in the state championship game. The Gators defeated Ashland Blazer, 3-0, in Thursday’s other semifinal matchup. They have posted 13 shutouts this season, including a 0-0 draw with Sacred Heart on Sept. 22.
Greenwood senior midfielder Anna Haddock is one of the state’s leading scorers with 54 goals and 24 assists for 132 points. The Auburn University recruit had one goal and one assist in her team’s state semifinal victory.
Campbell County sweeps Scott in 10th Region volleyball final
Campbell County defeated Scott, 25-15, 25-20, 25-14, in the 10th Region volleyball final on Thursday and earned a berth in the state tournament for the second straight year.
In the last eight years, Campbell County and Scott have each won four regional titles. They have faced each other in the championship final six times and each team has now won three of those head-to-head matches.
The Campbell County players named to the regional all-tournament team were sophomore Rylee McKinney, juniors Madison Pond and Olivia Crowl and senior Kasey Martin. Crowl and McKinney both have more than 300 kills for the Camels this season.
Campbell County (20-15) will play 3rd Region champion Owensboro Catholic (26-10) in the first round of the state tournament at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8 at Louisville Valley High School. The Camels made it to the semifinals in last year’s state tournament when they had four seniors in their primary player rotation.
GIRLS SOCCER STATE TOURNAMENT
at Lexington Bryan Station
Saturday
Championship: Highlands (20-3-5) vs. Greenwood (22-2-3), 8 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY STATE MEET
Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park
9:30 a.m. — Class 1A girls (Brossart, Villa Madonna, St. Henry, Walton-Verona)
10:15 a.m. — Class 1A boys (St. Henry, Beechwood, Brossart, Villa Madona, Walton-Verona)
11:30 a.m. — Class 2A girls (Scott, Highlands)
12:15 p.m. — Class 2A boys (Highlands, Scott)
1:30 p.m. — Class 3A girls (Ryle, Campbell County, Conner, Cooper, Notre Dame)
2:15 p.m. — Class 3A boys (Conner, Covington Catholic, Ryle, Campbell County, Simon Kenton)
