By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Senior forward Luke Schweitzer scored off a corner kick by Max Farris in sudden death overtime to give Highlands a dramatic 2-1 victory over Montgomery County in the first round of the boys state soccer tournament on Tuesday at Tower Park.
With a little over three minutes left in the second overtime period, Schweitzer was positioned near the top of the penalty area for the corner kick. He trotted toward the goal when Farris put the ball in the air and headed it past the goalkeeper on a bounce inside the right post.
The win moves the Bluebirds (22-1-3) into the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs for the first time since 2013. They will play Daviess County (21-2-1) at 5 p.m. Saturday at Lexington Dunbar High School.
Highlands is the only school that had both its boys and girls soccer teams make it to the state quarterfinals. The girls team will play Greenwood at 3 p.m. Saturday at Lexington Dunbar.
In the boys first-round game, Montgomery County scored on a corner kick to take a 1-0 lead over Highlands early in the first half. The Bluebirds finally tied the score on a goal by Schweitzer with 26 minutes remaining in the second half.
This is the fourth time this season that Schweitzer has scored twice in one game for the Bluebirds. He’s the team’s third leading scorer with 13 goals and six assists for 32 points. Farris heads the scoring list with 12 goals and 11 assists for 35 points.
Highlands has outscored opponents, 94-11, this season with its only loss coming to a team from Indiana in late September. The Bluebirds have a 9-0-1 record in their last 10 games under second-year head coach Chad Neidert.
Over the last 12 years, Northern Kentucky boys soccer teams have a 10-2 record in state quarterfinal games and six of them made it to the championship final. Covington Catholic won the area’s first state title in 2015. The state runner-up teams were CovCath (2016), Scott (2014), Ryle (2011), Highlands (2008) and Ryle (2006).
BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Saturday – Quarterfinals in Lexington
Lexington Henry Clay (11-8-3) vs. Boyd County (16-1-1), 1 p.m. at Lexington Dunbar
Louisville St. Xavier (23-2-1) vs. Corbin (11-8-1), 3 p.m. at Lexington Lafayette
Highlands (22-1-3) vs. Daviess County (21-2-1), 5 p.m. at Lexington Dunbar
Louisville Butler (18-3-1) vs. Hopkinsville (18-6-2), 7 p.m. at Lexington Lafayette
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Saturday – Quarterfinals in Lexington
Sacred Heart (22-1-1) vs. North Laurel (14-7-2), 1 p.m. at Lexington Lafayette
West Jessamine (15-3-5) vs. Russell (14-4-1), 5 p.m. at Lexington Lafayette
Highlands (21-4) vs. Greenwood (17-2-3), 3 p.m. at Lexington Dunbar
Bardstown Bethlehem (23-2-2) vs. Henderson County (19-2-1), 7 p.m. at Lexington Dunbar
VOLLEYBALL STATE TOURNAMENT
Friday – First round at Louisville Valley High School
St. Henry (31-9) vs. North Oldham (21-7), 11 a.m.
Campbell County (22-12) vs. Central Hardin (31-8), 5 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY REGIONAL MEETS
Saturday at Sherman Elementary School, Dry Ridge
Class A boys, 1 p.m.
Class A girls, 1:45 p.m.
Class AA boys, 2:30 p.m.
Class AA girls, 3:15 p.m.
Class AAA boys, 4 p.m.
Class AAA girls, 4:45 p.m.