Jessi Calizo and Lakeland Christian Academy will play in its first-ever regional this Saturday against top-ranked Wheeler, looking to make more than program history. (Photos by Mike Deak)

LAKEVILLE – Lakeland Christian Academy is coming into the LaVille Girls Soccer Regional on the highest of highs. They’ll still likely be facing the tallest task they could face.

“It is a tall mountain to climb here,” stated LCA head coach Nat Raber. “Sectional championship was a huge accomplishment for our school never having done it before, but it is OK here to want more. Wheeler is a great team, there is no denying that. But all teams had to start somewhere. Most teams don’t just become dominate, they had to build up to get there. So why not us?

“It is a David versus Goliath sports story. While in sports, Goliath seems to win more, but not every time. So, again, why not us?”

Winning the first-ever sectional championship in any sport in LCA history, the Cougars’ 4-2 win over Westview was an historic one. The Cougars won all three of its contests at the Class 1-A Westview Girls Soccer Sectional, pitching identical 5-0 shutouts on Elkhart Christian and Lakewood Park before rallying in the second half to upset Westview, which had won seven sectionals in a row.

But all of that is in the rearview mirror, and LCA has arguably the toughest test in the regional round in facing No. 1 Wheeler. The Bearcats have been on a mission since losing the IHSAA 1-A State Finals, 1-0 in double overtime, last October to Evansville Mater Dei. Wheeler hasn’t lost a game since, sitting at 19-0 this season and is crushing nearly everyone in its path. Wheeler opened its season winning its first six games via shutout with an aggregate of plus-44. Wheeler has pitched 13 shutouts this season and are an astounding plus-122 in goal differential in its 19 wins.

“We must play loose,” noted Raber. “We can’t take the field thinking we have already lost. There is a reason they play every game instead of deciding the outcome on paper. I want the girls to go out and have fun and play loose.”

LCA, which hasn’t seen any of the three other teams in the LaVille bracket, does have the mild advantage of the unknown. And it does have an offense that can keep pace with Wheeler if it stays in sync.

Tori Calizo, Jessi Calizo and Anna Reimink have lit up the nets at an alarming rate this season, Tori leading the team with 31 goals, which puts her currently 16th in the state in all classes in goals scored and 13th in total points factoring in her 14 assists. Jessi Calizo has 25 goals and 15 assists and Reimink has 24 goals and 18 assists. All three possess premier speed in the open field, and Reimink has flashed the ability to make 30-plus yard runs on the ball through traffic, as she did multiple times in the sectional.

The Cougars come into the regional 14-3-2 overall, having won seven of its last eight contests, the one loss in the regular season finale at Elkhart Christian which it rested a good bulk of its starters. LCA responded to the 6-3 loss at ECA with a 5-0 shutout of the Eagles in the sectional opener. LCA’s only other losses came in a home-and-home against Fort Wayne Fusion.

LCA will take on Wheeler in the second game of the LaVille Girls Soccer Regional at approximately noon at Newton Park on US 31. The first game will feature Argos (12-6-1) against Hebron (14-2), with the two winners coming back in the evening for the regional championship.

“We’ve been enjoying the game this year, and that’s how we have to continue to play,” noted Tori Calizo after the sectional championship. “That second half showed we can play as a team and accomplish anything.”