By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Highlands boys and girls soccer teams that were both one win away from claiming state championships last year will play primetime games in the annual Soccerama pre-season scrimmages.
The Highlands boys team that has four starters returning from last year’s 23-2-3 state runner-up season, will play Ryle at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in one of 12 boys Soccerama games at Dixie Heights High School.
One of the Bluebirds’ returning starters is senior Porter Hedenberg, who had 11 goals and a team-high 13 assists for 35 points. He was named to the state all-tournament team after Highlands lost to Louisville St. Xavier, 1-0, in last year’s championship final.
Soccerama boys games will also be played Friday and Saturday at Dixie Heights. Admission each day will be $5 for adults and $3 for students. The 24 boys teams taking part in the event will be competing in three different regions when the 2019 regular season opens on Monday, Aug. 12.
Soccerama girls scrimmage games are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 8 and Saturday, Aug. 10 at Ryle High School. Two of the teams in that event made it to last year’s state final when Louisville Sacred Heart edged Highlands, 2-1.
Highlands has six starters returning from the 23-5 state runner-up team that lost to Sacred Heart three times last season. One of the Bluebirds’ senior veterans is goalkeeper Maggie Hinegardner, who anchored a defensive unit that posted 19 shutouts.
There are 10 games on the Soccerama girls schedule. Admission each day will be $5 for adults and $3 for students with a two-day pass for all games available for $7. In the final two match-ups on Saturday, Aug. 10, Sacred Heart will play Anderson (Ohio) at 6 p.m. followed by Highlands vs. Dixie Heights at 7 p.m.
BOYS SOCCERAMA AT DIXIE HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
THURSDAY
Pendleton County vs. Scott, 6 p.m.
Highlands vs. Ryle, 7:30 p.m.
FFRIDAY
Holy Cross vs. Boone County, 5:30 p.m.
Cooper vs. Campbell County, 6:45 p.m.
Dixie Heights vs. Newport Central Catholic, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
Villa Madonna vs. Owen County, 9 a.m.
Carroll County vs. Williamstown, 10:30 a.m.
St. Henry vs. Calvary Christian, noon
Walton-Verona vs. Holmes, 3:30 p.m.
Beechwood vs. Grant County, 5 p.m.
Conner vs. Simon Kenton, 6:30 p.m.
Covington Catholic vs. Brossart, 8 p.m.
GIRLS SOCCERAMA AT RYLE HIGH SCHOOL
THURSDAY, AUG 8
Villa Madonna vs. Scott, 5 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. Newport Central Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
Ryle vs. Turpin (Ohio), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 10
Walton-Verona vs. Holy Cross, 8 a.m.
Beechwood vs. Pendleton County, 9:30 a.m.
St. Henry vs. Brossart, 11 a.m.
Cooper vs. Campbell County, 12:30 p.m.
Boone County vs. Lebanon (Ohio), 4:30 p.m.
Louisville Sacred Heart vs. Anderson (Ohio), 6 p.m.
Highlands vs. Dixie Heights, 7:30 p.m.