Blake Horn celebrates Noblesville’s first goal in their 2-0 defeat of Cathedral
Photo Credit: Grace Hollars / IndyStar
IndyStar Article By Brian Haenchen aka "Spooky Hank”
INDIANAPOLIS — Considering goalkeeper Cole Thompson's role in securing three straight penalty kick victories and the measly three goals allowed during Noblesville's seven-game run to a third consecutive Class 3A state championship, coach Ken Dollaske's comments following Saturday's 2-0 victory over Cathedral carried a little extra weight.
"He's had a lot of good games, but he decided to have his best one of the season tonight," Dollaske said. "In my opinion, he's the Player of the Year in the state of Indiana and I think this game proves it. Without him, without some of his reaction saves, this could have been a very different story."
Indeed.
Cole Thompson (GK) and Alex Pursch clear a free kick away from a Cathedral Player
Photo Credit: Grace Hollars / IndyStar
Thompson was unreal.
"This is awesome. We got those two before, but I was not satisfied," said Thompson, the 3A boys Mental Attitude Award recipient. "Going into this year, the goal was to win a third and thank the lord we did. What a game. That was a great way to end my career."
Credited with seven saves on the night, the 6-0 senior was tested early and often by an expectedly aggressive and consistently dangerous Irish attack.
Thompson came off his line to deny Kurzawa one-on-one less than 10 minutes into regulation, then jumped over 6-0 defender Kenyon Neal to save a free kick a few minutes later. Thompson preserved the 1-0 lead right before halftime, tracking a free kick and making the diving save on a Kurzawa header with relative ease.
Asked for his favorite Thompson save, Dollaske cited a play from the second half when the ball deflected off a Noblesville defender's leg, which required Thompson to plant, then replant before moving to his left to make the save at the far post. "It was unbelievable," Dollaske said.
"Cole tracked the ball, then he re-tracked the ball after the deflection and he was still on it," he continued. "It's just phenomenal to watch him. Whatever college he ends up going to is going to get an unbelievably talented goalkeeper."
Cathedral, which totaled 80 goals in 24 games, was credited with 16 shots, but was unable to break through resulting in its first shutout loss since Sept. 19 at Carmel (nine games).
Kurzawa and Fynn Lahrsen (51 goals combined) accounted for 10 of their team's 16 shots.
"We had some really good chances, we just couldn't finish and their keeper's good," Cathedral coach Joel Russell said. "And then I think we missed the frame on a couple we shouldn't have. … Thompson's a good keeper. We knew we were going to have to beat him. He wasn't going to give us anything."
The plan, Dollaske said, was for Kasole Williams and Keller Willis to keep switching off Kurzawa and understanding that if he wasn't the guy, he would be looking for a slip pass to someone else. "They were dangerous tonight, but we were able to keep them in check."
"I just did my job," Thompson said, turning attention to the 10 in front of him, specifically his backline and midfielders: Williams, Willis, Blake Horn, Jake Hall, Vinny Howard, Max Reason and Alex Pursch.
"The back four and the midfield, then everybody up the field did their job tonight," he continued. "We scored two in the first half, held onto that and defended like crazy. Ultimately, the entire team played absolutely incredible."
Thompson picked an ideal night for his best game of the season; Keller Willis picked an equally ideal moment to score his first goal of the season.
Ahead 1-0 following Ashton Craig's score in the ninth minute, Willis headed in a free kick from midfield to double the Millers' lead with 4:24 left in the half.
Noblesville's first goal forced Cathedral to move Lahrsen up with Kurzawa, Dollaske observed; the second resulted in a three-forward formation, which opened things up for the Millers in the second half, leaving them with ample time and space.
"It made us dangerous, too," Dollaske observed. "We were able to get really good crosses and we were able to get down the flank. Us getting those goals allowed us to play a little more free-flowing until the last 4-8 minutes because they were pressing and getting as many bodies forward as possible."
Noblesville (18-0-5) joins North Central as the only boys soccer teams in state history to win three consecutive state championships. The Panthers won three straight from 1994-96.
Cathedral finishes the season 17-5-2.