Millers Claim Their First Ever State Title With Win Over Rival Carmel

The Millers took on the Carmel Greyhounds in the IHSAA 3A Boys Soccer State Championship game. The atmosphere was electric with hundreds (thousands?) of Miller fans cheering on the talented squad at Carroll Stadium on the campus of IUPUI.

The Millers got off to a fantastic start. Just 4 minutes into the game, the Millers earned a corner kick. Brayden Doll hit an in-swinging cross to the back post. Senior Kyle Goad got a head on it sending in towards frame. However, a Carmel defender cleared the ball towards the 18 but not far enough out of danger. Defender Brady Horn, who came up on the corner kick to add his aerial prowess to the mix, was able to hit a half volley that snuck under the Carmel goalkeeper and inside the left post. It was the 3rd consecutive game the Millers had scored first in the opening 5 minutes of the contest.

Over the next 15 minutes of game action, the Greyhounds and Millers traded quality possession but few chances ended up on target. In the 20th minute, defender Cole Bramblett earned a throw-in deep in the Millers’ defensive third. Playing quickly, Bramblett was able to find a streaking Spencer Holland up the right flank. Holland took one quick touch and then sent Palmer Ault further up the pitch. The Greyhound’s goalkeeper started to come out of the penalty area to track down the through ball, but Ault was able to get there first and slot a ball into the goal from outside the 18.

The Millers went into halftime up 2-0 on their rival. Minor adjustments were made at halftime in terms of formation to hold the Hounds in check. The Millers came out after halftime re-energized. Within 3 minutes of the 2nd half starting, the Millers were on the board again. Junior Jake Johns sent a lovely driven through ball up the left flank. Palmer Ault tracked it down and had two defenders to beat. Ault dribbled aggressively at the defenders causing both of them to apply pressure. This allowed Holland to sneak in on the back post wide open. Ault placed a perfectly weighted pass into Holland’s path, who was able to shoot first time and beat the Carmel goalkeeper.

Over the next 20 minutes, the Greyhounds pushed more players forward in an effort to cut into the Millers’ lead. The defense of Andy Stansfield, Drew Cochran, Michael Crandley, Bramblett and Horn held strong. With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, the Millers gave up a free kick to the Greyhounds on the left flank just outside the penalty area. The Hounds were able to convert on the cross and cut the lead to 3-1.

As the clock wound down, the Greyhounds had several other quality opportunities, but Senior GK Gabe Ingle was able to shut the door and preserve the lead. As the clock struck zeroes, the Millers had won 3-1 and were able to celebrate their victory. The boys had finally realized the goal they had made at the beginning of the season of winning a state title.

This is the first state championship in school history for boys soccer. The win also gives Noblesville High School an IHSAA State Championship Title in three consecutive years for the first time in school history (Girls Soccer 2019, 2020).

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BRAYDEN DOLL NAMED IHSAA’S MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT
Senior Brayden Doll was named the IHSAA C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award Recipient for 3A Boys’ Soccer following the Millers’ victory. The award is presented to a senior, nominated by their principal and coach, who excels in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability in soccer.

Doll is the third male athlete at Noblesville to receive the Mental Attitude Award and he becomes the ninth Miller athlete to receive the honor. It’s the first time Noblesville has had a recipient in back-to-back years.

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State Finals Appearances (2): 1999, 2021
State Championship Appearances (1): 2021
State Championships (1): 2021

MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNERS (9)
2021 – Brayden Doll, Boys Soccer
2020 – Emma Potter, Girls Soccer

2008 – Amy Albright, Gymnastics

2006 – Erica Watson, Girls Cross Country

2002 – Sally Shonk, Girls Golf

1999 – Jeff Chapman, Boys Golf

1991 – Monica Cox, Girls Soccer (High School Soccer of Indiana, Inc.)

1986 – Kristin Ryan, Girls Golf

1979 – Kent Shelby, Football (2A)

Millers defeat Chesterton in State Semi Final

The Millers beat 3A #4 Chesterton Saturday night in the Semi-State finals.

For the third time during this playoff run, the Millers got on the board within the first five minutes of play. The first goal came off of an assist from Spencer Holland, who dribbled the ball down the right flank and sent a pass in to Brayden Doll at the six. Doll hit a half volley. The Chesterton goalkeeper got a hand on it, but it sailed into the upper part of the net to put the Millers up 1-0.

The Millers offense got right back to work. The second Miller goal came about 10 minutes later, after Doll sent a short corner to Kyle Goad. Goad took a shot that was saved by the Chesterton keeper. Doll collected the rebounded shot and crossed to Jake Johns. Johns slotted it past the keeper to put the Millers up 2-0.

The third Miller goal came with Holland dribbling three Chesterton defenders up the left side. Holland took a shot that was deflected by the Chesterton keeper. Palmer Ault tapped the deflection in to put the Millers up 3-0.

The Millers midfield continued to work the ball into the offensive third. In the 22nd minute Doll slipped a pass to Ault, who dribbled to the top of the box and took a shot. The shot got past a diving Chesterton keeper to put the Millers up 4-0.

Millers keeper Gabe Ingle leapt and tipped a Chesterton shot over the bar during the 24th minute to keep the Millers up 4-0.

The Millers defense held off several strong Chesterton attacks during the second half. This included wingback Cole Bramblett shutting down the Chesterton leading scorer, Jacob Perkins.

The Millers scored their fifth and final goal of the night late in the second half. Goad sent a corner kick to the back post. Drew Cochran tracked it down to the opposite corner and sent in a cross that was deflected by Sam Holland to his brother, Spencer Holland. Holland scored from a shot from the top of the box.

Ingle and the Miller defense had their 16th shutout of the season.

Man of the match and Miller player of the game went to Ault. After the game, Ault said, “This is a great feeling. We got to this stage when a lot of us were sophomores and we came up short. But we were really prepared tonight.”

Despite the big victory, Ault immediately shifted to thoughts about the state championship game. “This is what we’ve been working for all year. We have one game left to prove we are the best in state. This means we have one more week to put in the preparation and come out strong against our rival, Carmel.”

The Semi-State title is the second in the program’s history and is the Millers’ first in 22 years. In 1999, the Millers earned the program’s first berth in the IHSAA State Finals under the tournament’s old format for single class soccer where they lost to Penn in the Final Four.

Twenty-two years to the day of the Millers’ previous appearance at the IHSAA State Finals, the Millers will play in the State Finals once again, this time in the State Championship match against a familiar foe in rival Carmel on October 30 at 6:30 p.m. The game will be played at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium.

Millers Claim Regional Crown with Victory over Fort Wayne Northop

The Millers beat the Fort Wayne Northrop Bruins Saturday to win the regional championship.

The Millers wasted no time scoring 40 seconds into the game with Jake Johns exploiting their Bruins’ 3-back defense and playing a ball to Spencer Holland. Holland slotted it past the Bruins’ goalkeeper to put the Millers quickly on the board.

The Millers scored again several minutes later on a second goal from Holland who one-timed a pass from Palmer Ault. This was quickly followed with a goal by Ault, who hit a left-footed half volley from the 18 after the Millers regained possession off of a missed Bruins clearance.

Brayden Doll scored the Millers’ fourth goal after settling a pass from Ault, turning, and rocketing it past the Bruins’ goalkeeper.

The Millers came into the second half up 4-0. Doll scored his second goal on the day, after Andy Stansfield dribbled to the end line and slotted a ball to Doll who finished.

The Millers defense had their 15th shutout of the season. Goalkeeper Gabe Ingle had 5 saves. Defenders Cole Bramblett, Drew Cochran, Brady Horn, Andy Stansfield and Michael Crandley contained several dynamic Bruins players.

Additionally, several players contributed solid minutes of play late in the game to maintain the shut out, including Luke Smith, Luke Odle, Miles Tucker, Noah Bernot, Jackson Montgomery, Jordan Hindes, Noah Adams, Ashton Craig, Matthew Morris, and Landon Huber.

In addition to the outstanding skill play, the Millers also showed immense mental fortitude. Despite some chippy play from the Bruins, including several overt fouls and 5 yellow cards and 1 red card, the Millers maintained their composure throughout the game. This mental toughness was evident down the stretch and allowed the Millers to maintain the shut out.

The Millers player of the game and winner of the championship belt was Doll. After the game, Doll said, “It was another great win. This one is another lift off our shoulders. We have gelled as a team and are playing some of our best soccer, as you can tell by the score lines. We are now ready to focus on the next game and the game after that. Our ultimate goal is state, but we are going to take it one game at a time.”

The Millers will play 3A #4 Chesterton Trojans Saturday at 5pm at Kokomo High School.

This is the Millers’ 9th regional championship in program history and their second in three years.

Regional Championships (9): 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019, 2021

Millers beat Columbia City in the Regional Semi-Final

The Noblesville Millers played the Columbia City Eagles Thursday night in the regional semi-final.

The game started with the Millers dominating possession until 5 minutes in when a lightning delay was called. After the 30-minute waiting period, the Millers retook the field and continued to possess the ball for the majority of the first half.

Despite several shots on goal, the Millers struggled to convert scoring opportunities into goals until the 33rd minute when Jake Johns scored a beautiful left-footed strike just inside the 18 off of an assist from Palmer Ault. The Millers headed into half-time 1-0.

The Millers came out of halftime fired up and ready to go. Two minutes into the half, Johns scored his second goal of the night off of a rebound let up by the Eagles’ keeper. Two minutes later, a Jake Johns’ pass connected with Ault at the top of the 18. Ault then eluded three Columbia City players and hit a left-footed strike that went between the keeper’s legs to put the Millers up 3-0. Two minutes after that, Ault drew a foul in the box to earn a penalty kick. Senior defender Drew Cochran stepped in to take the PK and buried it far left to put the Millers up 4-0.

The Millers scored their fifth and final goal of the night in the 59th minute after Ault connected another pass for a Johns goal. Johns did a great job of keeping the Eagles’ defender on his right hip as he once again hit a left-footed strike low to the far post. The goal was Johns’ third goal of the evening.

The Miller defense remained consistent throughout the night, allowing only 1 shot on goal. The lone shot on target was a fantastic strike, but senior goalkeeper Gabe Ingle did well to deflect the knuckling shot away from target.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt was Johns. After the game, he said, “It was a great night to be out here with everyone. It’s a lot of fun to play together and get the win. We’re excited and ready to go for Saturday– and to get another win. Hat trick baby!”

The Millers advance to the regional final, Saturday at 2pm in Kokomo. The Millers will take on Fort Wayne Northrop.

Millers win Sectional Title against Fishers

The Millers closed out sectional play Saturday with a hard fought win against the Fishers Tigers.

The Millers were the dominant team throughout the game by maintaining possession and consistently keeping the ball in the offensive third. The Millers had multiple goal scoring opportunities in the first half, but were unable to convert.

The Millers came out in the second half and continued to dominate possession. In the 64th minute Spencer Holland scored the game deciding goal. The play started with a pass from Brayden Doll to Palmer Ault. Ault dribbled several Fishers defenders to take the ball toward the end line. He then sent a cross to an open Holland. Holland hit a perfectly angled header into the back of the net.

The Miller defense and goalkeeper, Gabe Ingle, kept the clean sheet for the remainder of the game. The defense made several key clearances against some Fishers’ pressure late in the second half.

The Millers won the program’s 14th IHSAA Sectional Championship and it marks the 20th all-time sectional title; it’s the 2nd championship in 3 years.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt was Holland. Holland said, “This makes our road to the final much easier. It means everything to us to come out and beat them. It’s what we have been working for after our early exit last year. We made it through a really tough sectional because we came together as a team and did what we know we could– which is win.”

The previous game’s man of the match, Jake Johns, shared, “It’s a great day to a Miller!”

The Miller student section once again showed out in force for the soccer program. Senior student section leader, Ty Haley, said, “We are so happy for the guys. Nobody is more deserving of this win. They worked all 80 minutes and I am so proud to support them.”

The Millers move on to regional play with a game Thursday at Columbia City. Kickoff is at 6pm.

Millers win big against Pendleton Heights in Sectional Semi-Final

After several weather delays, the Noblesville Millers started sectional play Wednesday night against the Pendleton Heights Arabians.

The Miller offense wasted no time getting to work, with a goal in the second minute by Spencer Holland off of an assist from Palmer Ault. It was quickly followed with a header by Jake Johns off of an assist from Drew Cochran to put the Millers up 2-0.

The Millers kept up their offensive attack, with Ault scoring off of a Brayden Doll corner kick. Ault scored again a couple of minutes later off of assists from Cole Bramblett and Sammy Holland. The final Miller goal of the first half came from Doll to put the Millers up 5-0.

As the teams went into halftime, there was a lightening delay called. After conferring with officials from the Indiana High School Athletic Association, the game was called.

Man of the match and the championship belt went to Johns. Freshman Jake Hall played in his first varsity game for the Millers.

The Millers advance to the sectional final game on Saturday. They will play Fishers at 6pm at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex.

Millers finish the regular season with a thrashing of Brownsburg

The Millers concluded their regular season with a trip to Brownsburg. It was a great tune up for sectionals the upcoming week. The Millers started off strong with a goal in the 4th minute by senior Palmer Ault. The play started with Kyle Goad and Spencer Holland connecting down in the right corner. Holland sent a cross into the box where Brayden Doll meticulously played a ball over to Ault to volley into the back of the net.

After some back and forth possession for the next 20 minutes, the Millers found the back of the net again in the 29th minute, this time with Ault connecting on a corner kick from Goad. Goad again got an assist on the Millers’ 3rd goal of the evening at the 32 minute mark. Goad sent a through ball to a streaking Holland. The Brownsburg GK thought he could leave his box for a clearance, but Holland had other ideas. He took a touch around the wayward keeper and slotted the ball home.

7 minutes later, defender Andy Stansfield made a courageous run from his left back position, dribbling multiple Bulldog defenders and slotted a nicely hit shot that hit the inside of the post and in. Less than 1 minute later Ault was taken down in the penalty box. He converted on the PK to send the Millers into halftime up 5-0.

The second half saw many new faces join the attack. Seniors Jordan Hindes and Andreas Michaeloff, Juniors Landon Huber and Sophomores Sammy Holland and Miles Tucker led the charge in the second half. There were also substitutions to the backline. Junior Noah Bernot and Sophomore Ashton Craig along with goalkeepers Noel Peña and Cole Thompson joined the back line to maintain the clean sheet.

The possession ebbed and flowed for a majority of the 2nd half. at the 75th minute, the Millers gave up a free kick. The Bulldog attempt was going upper 90, but Thompson had other ideas. He launched his body and made a spectacular finger tip save to keep the Bulldogs off the board.

With under 2 minutes remaining in the half, Hindes was able to find the back of the net. He finished a rebound after Sammy Holland hit a blistering, low shot that the Bulldogs goalie could not corral. Just a minute later Sammy Holland was able to get behind the back line due to a great through ball over the top from Bernot. Holland made no question and buried his opportunity. The game ended with a scoreline of 7-0.

Cole Thompson was given the man of the match championship belt. When asked about his team’s performance he said, “it was a good win. It feels good to have momentum going into sectionals.”

With the win, the Millers clinched a share of the Hoosier Crossroads Conference championship; it’s their 2nd consecutive title and their 3rd overall (2011, 2020).

The Millers start their playoff journey on Wednesday vs. Pendleton Heights at 7:15PM at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex.

Millers earn 2 W's in a Saturday Doubleheader with Carroll (FW) and Homestead

The 3A #2 Noblesville Millers took on the Carroll Chargers in the first of a Saturday doubleheader. The Millers came out strong with a goal in the sixth minute. The goal was created by midfielder Kyle Goad who set up Palmer Ault. Ault’s shot came from just outside the 18, deflected off a defender and creeped inside the far post. The Millers continued to press high up the pitch. This caused many mistakes by Carroll defenders in their defensive third. One mistake by the Carroll goalkeeper allowed Brayden Doll to intercept a pass and bury a shot into the net. With the Millers up 2-0, defender Andy Stansfield played a ball over the top to Sammy Holland. Holland worked the Carroll defender and drew a foul in the box. Holland drilled the penalty kick past a diving keeper to put the Millers up 3-0.

Just before halftime, the Millers were shown a red card and were force to play with 10 men for the remainder of the game. Forced to play a more reserved game due to being down a player, the Millers maintained the 3-0 lead throughout the rest of the game, with several key stops by goalkeeper Gabe Ingle.

The 3A #2 Noblesville Millers hosted the 3A #20 Homestead Spartans at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex on Saturday for senior night.

The Millers were celebrating the class of 2022, which includes 13 Miller soccer players: Gabe Ingle, Spencer Holland, Palmer Ault, Brayden Doll, Kyle Goad, Cole Bramblett, Jordan Hindes, Andreas Michaeloff, Andy Stansfield, Drew Cochran, Brady Horn, Michael Crandley, and Matthew Morris.

The Millers got on the board early with a Cole Bramblett drawing a foul in the box during the fourth minute. He successfully scored on his penalty kick, putting the Millers up 1-0.

The Millers maintained possession through most of the first half, but were unable to convert scoring opportunities. The Millers faced more pressure from the Spartans in the second half, but the Miller defense held them scoreless.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt was senior and captain, Gabe Ingle. After the game, Ingle said, “The depth of our team really showed today with having two games. We have a deep squad and that helped us tremendously. Also, the student section showed up and as always, showed out. I am glad all of our seniors got some playing time. And on behalf of the seniors, I want to thank all the parents and coaches who helped organize senior night. It was a really special night.”

The Millers end the regular season with a conference game at Brownsburg on Thursday.

Additional spacing in today’s write-up is brought to you courtesy of Miller soccer supporter and advisor, and retired journalism teacher, Butch Robbins. Thanks, Butch!

Millers dispatch the Flashes of FC 7-1

Photo Credit: Kent Graham Images

It was an interesting evening at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer complex on Tuesday where your Millers faced the Flashes of Franklin Central. Due to the forecast, the JV Black and Varsity games switched time slots so the Varsity match began around 6PM. The Millers started quickly out of the gate. Senior and Butler University commit Palmer Ault had a scoring chance a mere 15 seconds into the game. His shot hit the right post after a nice through ball from Jake Johns. From there the Millers dominated possession but were unable to find the back of the net until the 13th minute. Ault was sent in on a through ball by fellow senior and recent IUPUI commit Spencer Holland. Ault, unselfishly, slotted a ball across the penalty area to a streaking Brayden Doll who slotted a shot back near post against the movement of the Franklin Central goalkeeper.

The next Miller goal was scored in the 29th minute. Senior defender Andy Stansfield sent a perfectly lofted through ball over the FC back line that hit Spencer Holland in stride. Holland’s initial strike was saved by the goalkeeper but Holland was able to clean up his own rebound and bury his 2nd attempt low inside the left post. Your Millers went in to halftime up 2-0.

After a halftime speech from Coach Dollaske about increasing communication, your Millers came out in the 2nd half fired up. In the 48th minute, Ault found the back of the net again with a cheeky cross by Spencer Holland. A mere 1 minute later, the roles were reversed and Ault found Holland on a through ball that Holland was able to poke past the goalkeeper while also just barely avoiding hitting his head on the goal post. Holland was subbed off following his goal and Coach Dollaske could be heard telling Holland that, “he thought his hockey playing days were over” with that near collision with the woodwork.

In the 53rd minute, Doll was able to play a nicely weighted, curling through ball that sent Ault in behind the back line of FC. Ault was able to hit a great low, far post shot to tickle the twine. After some back and forth possession for an extended stretch in the match, the Millers were able to find the back of the net again in the 72nd minute. Senior Matthew Morris used his patented left-footed curling pass to find Sam Holland. Holland dribbled past an FC center back and hit a nice left-footed strike low to the far post. The final Miller scoring of the evening came off the foot of senior Jordan Hindes in the 78th minute. Sam Holland was able to send a nice through ball that Hindes was able to bury.

The Man of the Match was given to Junior Luke Smith. When asked about the game, Smith said that, “I feel like we really stepped it up after half time. After having a really slow half, we finally came out and decided to have fun and play soccer like we used to.”

The Millers are next on the pitch this coming Saturday with a double header against two Fort Wayne teams in Carroll (9AM) and Homestead (5:30PM). The senior class will be honored prior to the afternoon tilt with Homestead. Come on out and support your 13 senior athletes!

Millers exert dominance over rival HSE

The 3A #2 Noblesville Millers faced the 3A #4 Hamilton Southeastern Royals tonight before a packed crowd at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex. Both teams came into the conference match-up ready to go. The Millers were able to maintain possession for a majority of the first half, but were unable to find the final touch needed to score a goal.

The Millers came out of halftime ready to kick it up a notch. After several combination passes to begin the second half, the Millers were able to convert a possession into a goal in the 56th minute. The goal came after Palmer Ault drove to the Royals’ end line and slotted the ball back to six to find a streaking Brayden Doll. Doll took a beautiful one-touch shot to put the Millers up 1-0. The second goal of the half came after Cole Bramblett took a free kick from midfield. He lofted the ball just beyond the penalty spot, where Ault out jumped a Royals defender to head the ball in for a goal.

The Millers once again came up with a solid team win, seeing significant contributions defensively from Jackson Montgomery, Cole Bramblett, Drew Cochran, Andy Stansfield, and Gabe Ingle.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt went to Montgomery. When asked what this win meant, Montgomery said, “That felt pretty good. They are a good team. The stopped our season short last year, so that felt really good.”

The Millers have senior night on Tuesday against Franklin Central. The senior night festivities will kick off immediately following the JV Black game.

Millers pull out a gutsy win against #12 Zionsville

The 3A #2 Noblesville Millers faced off against conference foe 3A #12 Zionsville Eagles Tuesday night. The game was played at Zionsville Youth Soccer Association. The Millers got on the board first with a combination play that started with Palmer Ault. He took the ball to the top of the box and slotted a pass to Brayden Doll. Doll sent a cross in front of the Zionsville net to Cole Bramblett, who rifled it in past the keeper. The Millers got on the board again in the 32nd minute when Doll played a short corner kick to Noah Bernot. Bernot passed it back to Doll, who sent it into the box where it was headed in by Holland. After going up 2-0, the Millers let up their first goal of the night on a Zionsville counterattack off of a deflected shot. Minutes later, Kyle Goad was taken down in the box. He drilled his penalty kick past the Zionsville keeper to make it 3-1 heading into halftime.

The Millers were able to hold their lead in the second half, despite giving up a goal on a penalty kick late in the game. Several Miller players stepped up tonight, including the first varsity appearance and start for Noah Adams. Defender Luke Odle gave a solid performance, helping to anchor the defensive line for the entire game.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt went to Michael Crandley. After the game, Crandley said, “I think it was not our best games but we fought through our adversities. Guys who we needed tonight played a huge part in a hard fought team victory.”

The Millers return home on Thursday to play HCC rival 3A #4 Hamilton Southeastern.

Millers hang tough with National #1 St. Ignatius

The 3A #1 Millers (Indiana) faced the #1 St. Ignatius Cleveland (Ohio) Wildcats Saturday. The highly anticipated matchup took place at neutral site Purdue University Fort Wayne. The Millers scored a goal in the 2nd minute off of a free kick that was drawn by a great run by Palmer Ault. Brayden Doll served up a great ball in front of the Wildcats goal. Brady Horn flicked home a header to the back post past a diving goalkeeper to give the Millers an early lead. The Wildcats were able to maintain possession and had several promising chances as they worked the ball up the field. They converted one of those into a goal in the 9th minute. The Millers took another lead with a goal off of another Doll-Horn set piece, this time a corner kick. Doll once again served a great ball to the Wildcats 6, where Horn again headed in for a goal. The Millers had several promising counterattacks on combination plays between Palmer Ault and Spencer Holland, but were unable to find the back of the net. With the Millers up 2-1, there was a controversial foul call in the box against the Millers with 2 seconds remaining in the first half. The Wildcats scored on the penalty kick, sending the game into halftime tied at 2.

The Wildcats scored a third goal early in the second half after beating the Millers defenders. The Millers were able to complete more passes and maintain possession in the second half, but were unable to convert any of those into goals. The Wildcats earned a second penalty kick in the 78th minute, going up 4-2.

This is the Millers’ first regular season loss since falling to Fishers early in the 19-20 season. The Millers are now 8-1-1 on the season.

The man of the match and championship belt went to Horn. When asked for comment on the game, Horn said that, “it was a really tough game against a great opponent. It was not the result we wanted but a great experience that will definitely benefit our team for the long run.”

The Millers are back in action this week with matches against 2 ranked opponents in Zionsville on Tuesday and Hamilton Southeastern on Thursday.

Millers cap their Pink Out Game with a W

The 3A #1 Noblesville Millers faced off against 3A #17 Westfield Shamrocks Tuesday night. It was a packed house for the Millers’ pink out game– an annual contest that provides proceeds to the Megan S. Ott Foundation in support of cancer research.

The Millers dominated possession through most of the match. They had several early shots on goal that were saved by the Shamrocks’ keeper. The Millers got the first goal of the evening in the 26th minute on a beautiful combination play, truly exemplifying the teamwork of this Miller squad. The goal started with defender Brady Horn picking off a sloppy pass from the Shamrocks and playing a ball out to Spencer Holland on the right flank. Holland took a peek over his shoulder, chipped the ball past the Shamrock defender, and demonstrated his speed chasing it down. After dribbling the ball into the offensive third, he cut it in and found Jake Johns at the top of the D. Johns hit a one-time pass back to a streaking Palmer Ault, who slotted a one-time pass across the top of the 18 to Brayden Doll. Ault continued his run as Doll slotted a ball through the Shamrocks’ back line. Ault finished underneath a diving goalkeeper.

The Millers came out of halftime up 1-0. The midfield continued to distribute the ball well throughout the field. This led to another Miller goal in the 56th minute by Holland. The goal came directly off a strong throw-in from Brayden Doll. The final Miller goal came in the 69th minute. The play started at midfield with Michael Crandley controlling the ball and finding Doll’s feet. Doll slotted a ball through to Holland who put a shot on frame. This put the Millers up 3-0 before the game was called due to lightning with just under 9 minutes remaining.

Miller goalkeeper Gabe Ingle, and the defensive line of Brady Horn, Drew Cochran, Andy Stansfield, and Cole Bramblett, delivered their sixth clean sheet of the season.

The man of the match and championship belt was given to Holland. After the game Holland said, “It was a great team win and everyone did a great job. The defense made stops, the midfield tracked back and created opportunities, and the offense put away the chances which got us the win.”

The next match for the Millers is Saturday against St. Ignatius (Ohio). The game will be played at neutral site Purdue University Fort Wayne.

Millers bounce back from their first draw with big win over 2A #1 Guerin

The 3A #1 Noblesville Millers faced off against cross-town rival 2A #1 Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles Thursday night. The Millers were ready to get down to work and find the back of the net coming off of a 0-0 tie against Fishers on Tuesday.

The first Miller goal came in the 28th minute. Brayden Doll beat a defender to send a cross to Palmer Ault. Ault headed the ball far post to put the Millers up 1-0. The Millers got on the board again in the 40th minute. Jackson Montgomery intercepted a Golden Eagles pass, and played a one-touch pass into Ault. Ault played another one touch pass that slotted Spencer Holland through on goal. Holland finished with a toe poke underneath a sliding keeper.

The Millers expanded their lead to 3-0 in the 44th minute on a goal from Ault. Noah Bernot worked the ball down into the corner and then sent a cross towards the top of the box. Ault brought the ball down, juked a defender, and slid a shot near post. The next Miller goal of the night came after Ault dribbled to outside the 18. He sent a pass to Doll, who dribbled toward the end line and sent a cross back to the six. Ault controlled and sent a pass to Kyle Goad at the penalty spot, who then buried the shot far post. The final Miller goal of the night came after Goad sent Bernot out wide on the left flank. Bernot then sent a cross in to Holland, who brought the ball down and got a shot past the keeper as he came out. The Golden Eagles got on the board with a goal in the 56th minute. It is only the second goal given up by the Miller defense this season.

The man of the match and winner of the championship belt was Bernot. When asked his thoughts on the game, he said, “It feels great to get the win. It was a good stepping stone for moving forward, especially after our tie with Fishers. It gives us confidence as we move forward.”

The Millers come back from the holiday weekend with a home game Tuesday vs Westfield. They then travel to Fort Wayne on Saturday for a neutral-site game against top ranked St. Ignatius (Ohio).

Millers draw with highly ranked Fishers

The 3A #1 Noblesville Millers faced off against 3A #2 Fishers Tigers Tuesday night at Reynolds Tigers Stadium. The game was a highly anticipated matchup between the two HCC rivals. Both teams fought throughout the game, with several potential scoring opportunities for each team. The Millers had several scoring opportunities with four corner kicks and six shots on goal, but were unable to find the back of the net. The Tigers also had several scoring opportunities, with five shots on goal on the night.

The standout play for both teams came from their strong defense. The Miller defensive line of Cole Bramblett, Drew Cochran, Brady Horn, and Andy Stansfield provided integral support to keeper Gabe Ingle, and was able to neutralize several Tiger counterattacks.

The Miller man of the match and winner of the championship belt went to senior Stansfield. After the game a subdued Stansfield shared, “We are disappointed; a tie isn’t what we wanted. But ultimately this tie is going to motivate us to keep getting better and improve as we move ahead.”

The Millers will get an opportunity to put that into practice on Thursday night, when they play another tough opponent, the 2A #1 Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles. The game kicks off at 7pm at Hallmark Orthodontics Stadium.

Millers remain undefeated with a 7-1 thrashing of North Central

The 3A #1 Noblesville Millers took on the 3A #8 North Central Panthers on Saturday. The Millers got right to work with a goal in the 3rd minute from Kyle Goad. It was followed with a second Miller goal in the 15th minute from Palmer Ault on an assist from Andy Stansfield and Brayden Doll. Sammy Holland got his first varsity goal for the Millers in the 29th minute off of an assist from Goad. Landon Huber, who also scored his first varsity goal for the Millers, scored the fourth goal of the first half.

The Millers continued to show the depth of their bench in the second half. Matthew Morris scored a goal in the 42nd minute, Luke Smith had his first varsity goal in the 64th minute on a penalty kick, and Miles Tucker got his first varsity goal in the 78th minute on a nicely struck free kick from just outside the penalty area. Noel Peña also made his first appearance in goal for varsity and had a clean sheet during his time on the field.

The Panthers scored their lone goal of the game in the 54th minute. The final score was 7-1 in favor of the Millers.

Huber won man of the match and the championship belt for his play in Saturday’s game. After the game Huber said, “Today was a great game. It really showed the depth of our bench. Everyone got to play and get some experience. Everyone really stepped up.”

The Millers face HCC rival 3A #2 Fishers on Tuesday at Fishers. They return home on Thursday for a game against 2A #1 Guerin Catholic.

Millers push their winning streak to 5 with a 3-0 win over Brebeuf

The 3A #1 Millers traveled to the north side of Indianapolis to take on the 2A Brebeuf Braves on Thursday. The Millers dominated possession throughout the first half, but were not able to find the back of the net until the 33rd minute. The first Miller goal was scored by Brady Horn on a corner kick taken by Brayden Doll. Six minutes later, Andreas Michaeloff scored his first varsity goal for the Millers, with an assist by Matthew Morris. In the second half, the Millers third goal was scored by Palmer Ault on a shot chipped in past the keeper. The assist came from a free kick taken by goalkeeper Gabe Ingle.

The Millers once again had a solid performance from their midfielders, led by Brayden Doll, Michael Crandley, Jake Johns, and Matthew Morris. The midfield played a pivotal role in the game against the Braves with solid ball movement throughout the middle and offensive third. Vinny Howard made his first varsity appearance for the Millers, and Ashton Craig contributed a solid performance in his second varsity game.

The Miller man of the match and winner of the championship belt was Andreas Michaeloff. After the game, Michaeloff said, "It was a hard fought win tonight, but I'm happy we were able to get the win and the clean sheet. It feels good to get this one."

The Millers face some tough competition in the coming days, with a game on Saturday at 3A #8 North Central, and a game Tuesday at 3A #3 Fishers.

Millers get their first HCC victory of the short season defeating Avon 4-0

The 3A #1 Millers faced off against the 3A Avon Orioles Tuesday night at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex. The Millers came out strong and didn’t relent for much of the game with a season high 22 shots on goal. The Oriole keeper had an outstanding game, saving 18 of the 22 shots. The first of the Millers four goals came in 12th minute from Jake Johns on an assist from Palmer Ault. This was Johns first varsity goal for the Millers. The second Miller goal came in the second half from Noah Bernot, marking his first goal as a Miller. The goal came after Kyle Goad dribbled to the top of the 18 and made a pass to Ault. Ault slotted the ball across the penalty area to Bernot, who hit a nice shot near post. After several more shot attempts, the Millers scored their third and fourth goals for the night in the 74th and 75th minutes. The first came on the hockey assist from Brayden Doll to Goad, who slid a lateral pass past the defense to Ault who slid the ball past the keeper. A minute later 2 out of the same three Millers came together for another combination play, this time with Johns retaining possession after getting knocked down. He slotted the ball to Goad, who passed the ball to Ault. After Ault’s first strike didn’t make it to the goal, he followed the shot and tapped the rebound to the far post. 

The player of the game and championship belt went to Goad. After the game Goad said, “Tonight was a great team performance. Coach Dollaske and the rest of the coaching staff had a great plan for us to put into place. You know, we have a special group of guys. COVID messed us up but it didn’t bother us; we rallied behind each other. Players really stepped up and filled into positions they don’t always play, but everyone did a great job and didn’t let the energy drop #getvaccinated #justsomeboys”.

In addition to the great play on the field, the Millers once again had a major advantage thanks to the fan base. Tuesday’s night game marked Hawaiian night for the Miller student section, who came equipped with leis, flowered shirts, and squirt guns. Senior student section leader, Will Perkins said, “We really want to come out this year and support this special group of guys. We think of ourselves as part of their success. We are the 12th man on the field with them.” The energy was evident throughout the game, and contributed to the Millers dominance over the Orioles.

The Millers go on a 3-game away swing, facing off against Brebeuf on Thursday, North Central on Saturday, and Fishers on Tuesday.

Millers dominate Olentangy Liberty 5-0 making the 6 hour roundtrip worth it.

The 3A #1 Millers traveled to Powell, Ohio on Saturday to take on Olentangy Liberty High School, a top ranked program in Ohio. The Millers got right to work with a goal in the 5th minute from Palmer Ault on an assist from Spencer Holland, who received a perfectly slotted ball from Brayden Doll. The Millers scored again less than a minute later on another goal from Palmer, this time on an assist from Jake Johns and Gabe Ingle. Ingle played a ball over the top that was brought down by Johns and slotted to Ault. The Millers returned in the second half and again had back to back goals. The first came in the 45th minute with a goal from Holland off of a perfectly executed combination play between Ault and Kyle Goad. The next goal had Johns finding Holland to make the score 4-0 Millers. The 5th and final goal of the day came from Doll on an assist from Goad.

Saturday’s win marked the third straight clean sheet for the Millers. Several Miller players served pivotal roles coming off the bench, including keeper Cole Thompson and defensive player Luke Odle, who made his first varsity appearance.

The player of the game and championship belt went to Ault, who had two goals and an assist on the day. After the game, Ault said, “It was a good team win. We played a new team with people we’re not used to. We looked a bit lethargic during warm-ups, but we came out strong. And we got to see some guys play a great supporting role and give us some minutes; they really helped us battle the heat.”

The Millers have another busy week next week. They will be at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex on Tuesday against the Avon Orioles, at Brebeuf on Thursday, and at North Central on Saturday.

Varsity beats rival #7 Carmel 3-0

The 3A #1 Millers faced off against the 3A #7 Greyhounds tonight at Carmel High School. After a slight rain delay, the Millers got right to action with a goal in the 8th minute by Palmer Ault on an assist from Jake Johns. The Millers maintained possession for most of the first half.

The second half saw the Millers tested more by the Greyhound offense. The defensive line of Cole Bramblett, Brady Horn, Andy Stansfield, and Drew Cochran, along with Millers keeper Gabe Ingle, fended off several offensive attacks to keep the Greyhounds scoreless. The second goal of the night came in the 51st minute with Spencer Holland dribbling up the right flank and taking a left footed shot that deflected off a Carmel defender in for a goal. The third Miller goal came after Michael Crandley drew a foul on a corner kick and was awarded a penalty kick. Crandley got the ball past the keeper, despite the Greyhound keeper guessing correctly.

The Miller player of the game and winner of the championship belt went to senior defender and co-captain, Drew Cochran. When asked what this win meant to him and the team, Cochran said, “It’s always nice to beat Carmel. And tonight we really played hard and didn’t play into their style. We played with level heads and composure throughout the game, and played together as a team. The belt really could have gone to any number of guys tonight. It was a team win.”

In addition to the 11 players out on the field, there was another clear difference maker in tonight’s game. The Millers had the benefit of having a strong 12th man, despite it being an away game. The Miller student section, which far outnumbered the student section of the Carmel home team, brought energy and enthusiasm throughout the game and really gave the Millers an extra boost. Several seniors have taken the lead in organizing the fan base for the games, including Will Perkins and Ty Haley. When asked about the fan presence at tonight’s game, Haley said, “It was a great turnout. We really want to spread the word– we have a special group of players this year. They are a great team and fun to watch. I’m sure we’ll get even more people coming out as the season goes on.” Students can find more information about the game times and plans for the student section by following the Noblesville Miller Student Section on Twitter and checking social media for details.

The Millers travel to Columbus, Ohio for a game against Olentangy Liberty on Saturday. The Millers are back at Hallmark Orthodontics Soccer Complex Tuesday night for their first HCC match of the season against the Avon Orioles.