Looking to continue its success, the men’s varsity soccer team hopes to continue its post-season success as it travels to North Central on Oct. 11 for a 5 p.m. kickoff against Cathedral in the Regional Semifinals. The Hounds beat Cathedral 3-0 earlier this season on Sept. 25. The team reaches the Regional Semifinals following its Sectional Finals victory over Zionsville on Oct. 6. It took the full 80 minutes of regular time ending in a 2-2 draw, a scoreless overtime and finally a 5-4 penalty kick shootout victory to decide the victor. Captain and senior Riley Pelton scored both goals for the Hounds during the regular time. As the

overtime ended scoreless, both teams sent their five best penalty kick shooters out to win the team the

Sectional Championship. Both teams started strong as they scored their first two shots. Carmel made its third penalty; however, the Zionsville player’s shot soared over the crossbar. Both teams made their fourth shots. With the pressure on his back, Pelton stepped up to take the game-winning fifth penalty kick for the Hounds, and with stellar composure, he scored.

“Anytime you can win and continue to advance in a knock out competition is big,” Head Coach Shane Schmidt said. “I think that it means a lot to the team, program, school, and community.”

Captain and senior Connor Thomas said that with this win the team’s confidence is sky high.

“This win means so much,” Thomas said. “Everyone on the team played at such a high level and did not give up. At practices everyone is at 110 percent for the full amount of time. The focus of each player is unbelievable. We have are sights set on one goal and one goal only, a State Championship. If we play like we have been doing and continue to go hard in training, I know we can beat anyone on any given day. I think the team is starting to believe that too.”

In preparation for its game against Cathedral, Schmidt said the team is excited and has been preparing like they have the whole season.

“I think that the win really fired the guys up,” Schmidt said. “Cathedral is just another opponent and our team game plan is to do the same thing we do every game. Defend as team and change the point of attack through ball possession.”