By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
It should come as no surprise that Notre Dame and Highlands won 9th Region semifinal matches in girls soccer on Wednesday and advance to the championship final.
After a statewide realignment of girls soccer in 2012 put the two teams in the same region, they have been the only ones to claim the title. Notre Dame won the first six and Highlands claimed the last three.
Notre Dame junior Ellie Greenwell moves the ball down the field with Juliet Strange of Conner close behind her. (Photo by Bob Jackson)
This year’s winner will be decided in a match set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Boone County High School.
It will be the fifth time in 10 years the two teams have faced each other in the championship final. Notre Dame won the first two title matches in 2013 and 2016. Highlands evened the score with victories in 2018 and 2019.
Notre Dame scored six goals in the second half and defeated Conner, 7-0, in Wednesday’s first region semifinal game. It was the 21st shutout of the season for the 23-0-1 Pandas. Two of them were 3-0 wins over Highlands.
Highlands edged Dixie Heights, 2-1, in Wednesday’s other semifinal match to push its record to 14-4-1. Last year, Highlands blanked Dixie Heights, 3-0, in the region final to win its third straight title.
Campbell County and Brossart will meet in the 10th Region championship game at 2 p.m. Saturday at Campbell County.
In the semifinal round on Wednesday, defending champion Brossart (15-8-1) defeated George Rogers Clark, 3-0, and Campbell County (18-4-2) knocked off Harrison County, 4-2.
Campbell County beat Brossart, 1-0, during the regular season and 2-0 in the 37th District final last week.
Simon Kenton and Walton-Verona lost semifinal matches in the 8th Region tournament on Wednesday. Simon Kenton had won the region championship five of the last six years.
Girls soccer region tournaments
9th REGION AT BOONE COUNTY
Wednesday
Notre Dame 7, Conner 0
Highlands 2, Dixie Heights 1
Saturday
Championship final: Highlands vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m.
10th REGION AT CAMPBELL COUNTY
Wednesday
Campbell County 4, Harrison County 2
Brossart 3, George Rogers Clark 0
Saturday
Championship final: Campbell County vs. Brossart, 2 p.m.
8th REGION AT CARROLL COUNTY
Wednesday
North Oldham 2, Simon Kenton 1
South Oldham 10, Walton-Verona 0
Thursday
Championship final: North Oldham vs. South Oldham, 8 p.m.
Boys soccer region tournaments
9th REGION
Thursday at St. Henry
Dixie Heights vs. Ryle, 5 p.m.
Highlands vs. Covington Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at Boone County
Championship final, 4 p.m.
10th REGION AT HARRISON COUNTY
Thursday
Harrison County vs. George Rogers Clark, 5:30 p.m.
Brossart vs. Montgomery County, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Championship final, 6 p.m.
