By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands soccer teams moved one step closer to sweeping boys and girls state titles by winning quarterfinal games on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Lexington.
At the state volleyball tournament in Louisville, St. Henry and Campbell County also won quarterfinal matches, but the season came to an end for both teams in the semifinals on Saturday night.
The Highlands girls soccer team defeated Greenwood, 3-1, to notch its 14th straight victory. The Bluebirds gave up a goal for the first time in 11 matches, but they had a 23-3 advantage in shots on goal.
The Highlands boys soccer team posted its 16th shutout of the season with a 3-0 win over Daviess County, the 2016 state champion and last year’s state runner-up. The Bluebirds did such a good job on defense that goalkeeper Will Burnham did not have any saves.
The goal scorers for the Highlands boys team were Luke Schweitzer, Devin Harris and Carter Holmes. In the girls game, Kenzie Nehus, Lindsey Meyer and Gwen Gorman put balls in the net for the Bluebirds.
State semifinal games will be played this week at Fredrick Douglass High School in Lexington. On Wednesday, Highlands will play Bardstown Bethlehem in a girls game at 8 p.m. On Thursday, it will be Highlands vs. Hopkinsville in a boys game at 8 p.m.
In the state volleyball semifinals, Louisville Mercy defeated St. Henry in three sets and Louisville Assumption did the same against Campbell County.
St. Henry senior Maria Tobergte had 17 kills, 10 digs and three service aces in the final match of her high school career. She was named to the state all-tournament team along with her freshman teammate Taylor Preston.
Elena McCleary and Hannah Wells were the Campbell County players named to the state all-tournament team. They are two of the seven seniors who led the Camels to the state semifinals for the first time since 1998.
BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinal matches
Henry Clay def. Boyd County, 5-0
St. Xavier def. Corbin, 6-0
Highlands def. Daviess County, 3-0
Hopkinsville def. Butler, 2-1 (penalty kicks)
Thursday — Semifinals at Fredrick Douglass in Lexington
Henry Clay (12-8-3) vs. St. Xavier (24-2-1), 6 p.m.
Highlands (23-1-3) vs. Hopkinsville (19-6-2), 8 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Quarterfinal matches
Sacred Heart def. North Laurel, 10-0
West Jessamine def. Russell, 1-0
Highlands def. Greenwood, 3-1
Bardstown Bethlehem def. Henderson County, 3-2 2OT
Wednesday — Semifinals at Fredrick Douglass in Lexington
Sacred Heart (23-1-1) vs. West Jessamine (16-3-5), 6 p.m.
Highlands (22-4) vs. Bardstown Bethlehem (24-2-2), 8 p.m.
VOLLEYBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinal matches
Louisville Mercy def. Greenwood, 25-15, 30-28, 25-9
St. Henry def. McCracken County, 25-15, 25-11, 25-15
Louisville Assumption def. Henderson County, 25-6, 25-5, 25-17
Campbell County def. Pulaski Southwestern, 21-25, 25-20, 25-15, 26-24
Semifinal matches
Louisville Mercy def. St. Henry, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21
Louisville Assumption def. Campbell County, 25-6, 25-10, 25-15
Sunday — Championship match
Louisville Mercy (35-6) vs. Louisville Assumption (42-0), 2 p.m.