By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Highlands swept 9th Region titles in boys and girls soccer for the second straight year and both teams hope to make strong runs in the state tournaments once again.
Last year, Highlands boys and girls both made it to the state finals and lost close matches with Louisville teams. St. Xavier won the boys championship game by a 1-0 score and Sacred Heart took the girls title with a 2-1 victory.
To make it back to state finals, each Highlands team will have to win three playoff games over the next two weeks. In the first round on Tuesday, the boys team will play at 12th Region champion Danville at 7 p.m. and the girls team will play at 11th Region champion West Jessamine at 7 p.m.
Calvary Christian won the 10th Region boys title and will make its first appearance in the state soccer playoffs at 7 p.m. Tuesday when the Cougars take on 11th Region champion Lexington Henry Clay at Scott High School.
If Calvary Christian and Highlands win their first-round matches in the boys playoffs, the local teams will face each other in the quarterfinals later this week.
In the 9th Region finals on Saturday, Highlands sophomore Chloe Bramble scored the deciding goal in the second half of her team’s 2-1 win over Notre Dame. The boys game went to a penalty kick shootout and Highlands outscored Covington Catholic behind four saves by goalkeeper Nick Fischer to come away with a 3-2 victory.
Northern Kentucky teams have been quite successful in the state soccer playoffs over the past two decades.
In girls soccer, local teams have reached the state final 13 times in the last 19 years and claimed six state titles. Highlands won back-to-back state championships in 2005 and 2006 and was state runner-up in 2008 and 2018.
A local team has played in the boys championship match seven times in the last 13 years, but the 2015 Covington Catholic team was the only one to bring home a championship trophy. Highlands was state runner-up in 2008 and 2018.
STATE TOURNAMENT MATCHES
BOYS
Highlands (16-5-4) at Danville (17-4-1), 7 p.m. Tuesday
Lexington Henry Clay (21-1-3) vs. Calvary Christian (16-4-1), 7 p.m. Tuesday at Scott High School
GIRLS
Highlands (17-3-5) at West Jessamine (16-6-2), 7 p.m. Tuesday