Boys' Final 4!!

[The Double Deuce]

Congratulations to the four boys' programs that have advanced to the Boys' Soccer Final Four -- an incredible achievement.  Last week, in the Elite 8 thread, I outlined the state championships and runners-up from the final 8 teams, and the four that had made the final game are the four that found a way to win and advance to the final four.  We have a little bit of everything, two big schools, a medium-sized school, and a school on the smaller side.  Lexington, Elizabethtown, Owensboro, and NKY are all represented....but no Louisville.  This is the first Boys' Soccer Final Four since 2016 with no Louisville area school in the mix, and ironically, that year also saw Dunbar, Daviess Co., and CovCath in the Final Four (North Hardin was the 4th).  That year saw Daviess County and CovCath meet in the Championship Game, and of course, this year, those two will compete in our lid-lifter on Wednesday afternoon.

*  Wednesday, October 27th, 4:00 at Frederick Douglass:  Daviess County (#1 in updated Maher Rankings) vs CovCath (#18)  Daviess County, a Top 5 team all year, enters the game fresh off their HUGE win at #1 North Oldham last Thursday and sporting a gaudy 22-1-4 record.  CovCath, after two impressive and gutty road wins in the first two rounds, enter this game with a 13-8-5 record.  They have two mutual opponents, North Oldham and Ryle, where Daviess Co was 1-0-1 against them, CovCath was 0-2.  The Panthers have scored 97 goals for and 23 against in 27 games.  The Colonels, in 26 games, have 57 for and 38 against.  However, when looking at each team's 7 post-season games, obviously all wins for both, CovCath has 22 for and 4 against.  The Panthers have scored 36 and allowed 3.  Admittedly, the 9th Region is tougher than the 3rd, but even with that, you have to consider the Panthers heavy favorites to advance to the State Championship Game.  

*  Wednesday, October 27th, 7:00 at Frederick Douglass:  Elizabethtown (#9) vs Dunbar (#2)  Dunbar has been a consensus Top 5 team all season, is a perennial soccer power in the state with multiple state championships, and enter this game at 20-3-2 on the season.  Elizabethtown hasn't been to the State Championship game since the yearly 90's, but have had a terrific season and enter this game with a record of 22-3-3.  Elizabethtown will certainly feel they have more than a chance on Wednesday night, given an impressive win over Daviess County on their resume, along with a tie vs Ryle early in the season.  Dunbar ended the regular season on a sour note, losing to Highlands 5-2 in Fort Thomas, but have righted the ship and enter the Final Four with a great chance to play for another State Championship.  The Bulldogs of Dunbar have scored 85 goals and allowed 32 on the season in 25 games.  The Panthers of E-Town, in 28 games, have scored 128 and allowed only 26.  Gaudy numbers, to be sure.  During E-Town's 6 post-season games they have scored 23 and allowed only 6, but admittedly, the 5th isn't the 11th Region in terms of depth.  In Dunbar's 7 post-season games they have scored 21 and allowed 8 goals, the most of any of the Final Four teams in the post-season.  This game appears to be more even on paper, but again, you have to give Dunbar a slight nod as the favorite in this one.

The two winners will meet for the Kentucky Boys' Soccer State Championship on Saturday the 30th at 4:00 at Frederick Douglass in Lexington!  Good luck to all 4 teams, congratulations on the incredible accomplishment of making the FINAL FOUR, and may all of you play well, play hard, represent your schools and your community well, and most importantly, stay healthy!!!  Thanks for a great run thus far.

[FrankNicodemus]

[The Double Deuce]

Gameday for the last 4 standing in Kentucky Boys' Soccer, good luck to each of the teams, and safe travels to the four sets of families, students, faculty, and fans that will be making their way to Frederick Douglass for tonight's two State Semi-Finals.  

Play hard, play well, stay healthy, and enjoy the heck out of this evening.

[FrankNicodemus]

Cov Cath up 1-0 at half......still bitter

[FrankNicodemus]

Cov Cath hangs on! 

Final 1-0!!!!

Down goes #1 Daviess County....