Homestead edges Carmel to secure First State Title

Homestead edges Carmel to secure First State Title
Homestead recorded a history-making, 2-1 victory over Carmel in the girls Class 3-A state title game.

Senior Amelia White and junior Sydney Couch each tallied goals and senior goalkeeper stood tall against a hard-charging Greyhounds offense in the final minutes to clinch the victory, Homestead’s first state title after two runner-up appearances (2001, 2018).

The victory also means coach Rick Link’s Spartans (22-0) are only the second unbeaten, untied state champion in IHSAA history. The feat matches the 2002 Carmel squad which won the title with a 25-0 mark.

White opened the scoring early on, netting a shot in the 11th minute. Crouch recorded the assist. Crouch got into the scoring act in the 70th minute to give the Spartans what appeared to be a comfortable cushion. Madison Morris was credited with an assist on that goal.

Coach Frank Dixon’s Greyhounds, however, came back in the 72nd minute and chopped the lead in half with Emily Roper’s unassisted goal. In the final two minutes, Carmel sought the equalizer and nearly got it with a point-blank shot, but Roush made a big save, the last of her eight in the game, to preserve the victory.

Carmel finished the season 18-3-2.

Carmel’s Luci Bair receives Wynns Mental Attitude Award
Following the match, Luci Bair of Carmel High School was named the recipient of the Theresia Wynns Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Girls Soccer.

Bair is a three-year varsity letterwinner, the lone exception being her sophomore year where she served as Team Manager while recovering from a torn ACL. She is a member of the 2018 3A State Champion team and the 2019 3A State Runner-up team. Luci is a member of the National Honor Society and was awarded Academic All-Conference and Academic All-State during her Junior and Senior year. She volunteers as a Freshman Mentor and Peer Tutor at Carmel, as well as helping in numerous community outreach events.

The daughter of Matt and Rita Bair of Carmel, Luci is still undecided on her college choice but plans to study Environmental Engineering.

The award is annually presented to a senior, who is nominated by her principal and coach, and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability during his four years of high school. The award is named in honor of Theresia Wynns, who served as an IHSAA assistant commissioner from 1997- 2012 and administered the sports of girls and boys soccer as well as the licensing of over 8,000 officials in the state of Indiana.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, a proud corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Carmel High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Luci Bair.