After winning five straight games over a two-week stretch, the Heritage Patriots came up one goal short of winning in IHSAA title Saturday, falling to Leo 2-1 in the championship game of the 2A sectional.
Playing their fourth consecutive game on the Woodlan turf, the Patriots had advanced to the final via wins over Norwell and Canterbury, setting up a rematch with Leo, a team they had beaten 1-0 on September 20th.
It just wasn’t meant to be.
A spirited game of soccer between two local rivals ended contentiously, with the official serving yellow cards to players at will in the final ten minutes. Heritage ended the game with just ten men after a red card was handed down.
In the end, the Lions were the one advancing to Thursday’s regional semifinal, in which they will host Mississinewa. A win would give Leo a chance at potentially winning a boys soccer regional and girls soccer regional on the same day.
The boys would face the winner of Northwestern and Concordia.
Heritage had five shots on goal in the final, but only managed a second-half own goal against the Lions.
Senior goalkeeper Toby Henning (pictured above) made four saves.
The Lions’ efforts were aided by a penalty awarded against the Patriots.
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