BSoc STATE FINALS: #4 Zionsville’s 1st title in 3-1 win over #13 Homestead

INDIANAPOLIS – The Zionsville Eagles laid claim to the school’s first boys soccer state championship Oct. 31 by defeating the Homestead Spartans, 3-1, at Kuntz Stadium. It was the Eagles’ second straight trip to the championship game – Zionsville came up short against Evansville Memorial in last year’s final by score of 3-2 after falling 5-4 on penalty kicks. 

Homestead (18-4-1) got on the scoreboard first in the 16th minute, courtesy of a goal by senior forward Kegan Harkenrider that was assisted by senior midfielder Connor McMahon. 

Zionsville (19-3-1) would not trail for long, however, responding in the 24th minute with a Dylan Mares header to tie the match. The goal was Mares’ 24th of the season, tying him with fellow senior A.J. Corrado for the team high. 

The Eagles took the lead when senior midfielder Adam Ward connected off a pass from senior forward Harrison Petts to make the score 2-1 at the end of the first half. The goal was Ward’s third of the season, while Petts recorded his eighth assist.

With just under six minutes left in the second half, Petts scored his second goal of the night off a penalty kick. The senior captain placed the ball in the upper-right corner past Homestead senior goalkeeper Justin Hanford to make the score 3-1. 

Coach Bashir Birany’s Eagles outshot Homestead 9-4 in the second half and 23-7 overall.

Harrison Petts of Zionsville was named winner of the 2009 C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award for Boys Soccer by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented a scholarship check for $1,000 to the school in the name of Petts. Since 1989, more than $575,000 in college scholarships has been presented by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance to deserving high school students in Indiana.

Petts is the Student Promotion Leader for the Sports Marketing Club and is a member of the Math Club and “Eagles as Leaders and Rising Stars” program at Zionsville. He has also been involved with the NCAA Stay In Bounds program. He works closely with the youth in Zionsville by volunteering at numerous soccer camps and clinics, all while maintaining a 4.03 grade point average.

Among the many accomplishments throughout his soccer career, Petts was named to the 2008 All-State Team and was deemed a First Team NSCAA All-American. He was named the Indianapolis Star Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year for his 2008-09 campaign. Petts led last year’s Zionsville squad to the state championship game as the goals and assists leader for the Eagles, and he also was a member of the 2008-09 U.S. National U18 team. 

The son of Dan and Jody Petts of Zionsville plans to enroll in the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Date: Saturday, Oct. 31

Times: 10 a.m. ET semifinals, 6 p.m. ET championship

Admission: $8 per session, $12 all sessions

Kuntz Stadium, 1502 West 16th Street, lndianapolis

Match 1 – #4 Zionsville 1, #7 Lake Central 0

Match 2 – #13 Homestead 4, #14 Columbus North 1

Championship – #4 Zionsville 3, #13 Homestead 1