Soccer Sectional Pairings Set
The stage is set for postseason prep play on the pitch this fall.
The IHSAA conducted pairings this morning in Indianapolis for both the boys and girls soccer state tournament series.
Both tournaments for the 21st annual event are set to begin the week of Oct. 6 with sectional play.
A total of 295 boys teams are entered in the two-class format, with 259 girls teams set to compete.
The four-team regionals for boys are Oct. 16 and 18 with four-team semi states Oct. 25 and the State Finals Nov. 1. The girls four-team regionals are Oct. 15 and 18 with four-team semi states Oct. 25 and the State Finals Nov. 1.
The Warsaw boys, winners of six straight sectional titles, open postseason play in the Class 2-A Plymouth Sectional opener on Oct. 6. The Tigers, who have had an injury-filled season, face Culver Academies. Warsaw, which lost in the semi state semifinals a year ago, is 6-3-5 on the season after a 2-1 loss to No. 15 Goshen Thursday night.
Wawasee will face NorthWood on Oct. 8 in the Plymouth Sectional. Host Plymouth drew the bye and will play the winner of the Warsaw-CMA match in a semifinal contest.
The Plymouth Sectional winner advances to the Mishawaka Regional to face the winner of the Northridge Sectional. The other semifinal will pit the winner of the South Bend Adams Sectional versus the winner of the South Bend St. Joseph Sectional. The regional champion earns a berth in the Warsaw Semistate.
The Whitko boys will face host Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian in a Class 1-A four-team sectional.
The Warsaw girls are on a roll with eight straight wins since their lone loss to Goshen. The Tigers, who are 10-1, will be going for a fifth straight sectional championship. Coach Peter Lucht’s team will face NorthWood at home on Oct. 9.
The Warsaw Class 2-A Sectional opens on Oct. 7 with Wawasee facing Plymouth. Culver Academies drew the bye and will play the Wawasee-Plymouth winner in a semifinal match on Oct. 9.
The Warsaw Sectional champion earns a spot in the Goshen Regional to play the Elkhart Central Sectional champion. The other bracket will have the South Bend St. Joseph Sectional winner versus the winner of the South Bend Riley Sectional. The Goshen Regional champion moves on to the South Bend St. Joseph Semistate.
The Whitko girls team will face South Adams in a sectional opener at the Class 1-A Fort Wayne Luers Sectional.
Boys Sectional Pairings
Class 2-A at Plymouth
Oct. 6: 6 p.m.: Warsaw vs. Culver Academies
Oct. 8: 5 p.m.: NorthWood vs. Wawasee
Oct. 8: 7 p.m.: Plymouth versus Warsaw-Culver winner
Oct. 11: 6 p.m.: Championship
Class 1-A at Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian
Dates and times TBD
Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian vs. Whitko
Manchester vs. Fort Wayne Concordia
Championship
Girls Sectional Pairings
Class 2-A at Warsaw
Oct. 7: 6 p.m.: Plymouth vs. Wawasee
Oct. 9: 5 p.m.: Warsaw vs. NorthWood
Oct. 9: 7 p.m.: Culver Academies vs. Plymouth-Wawasee winner
Oct. 11: 2 p.m.: Championship
Class 1-A at Fort Wayne Luers
Dates and times TBD
Whitko vs. South Adams
Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian vs. Fort Wayne Concordia
Fort Wayne Luers vs. Woodlan
Fort Wayne Canterbury vs. Heritage
Semifinals
Championship