By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Covington Catholic boys and Highlands girls soccer teams that won close matches in the opening round of the state playoffs dominated their quarterfinal opponents on Saturday.
CovCath defeated Prestonsburg, 5-0, with each goal scored by a different player while Highlands knocked off Johnson Central, 6-0, behind a well balanced attack to advance in state brackets.
All of CovCath’s goals came in the first half when senior Cole Bishop, juniors Cole Spaulding, Brady Dalton and Ethan Eibel and sophomore Sam Stout put balls into the net for the Colonels.
Prestonsburg was limited to three shots on goalkeepers Booker Gifford and Ryan Roeding, who shared the shutout.
Highlands senior Reese Wilkins had two goals and four of her teammates had one each against Johnson Central. The other scorers were freshman Ally Lickert and juniors Loralie Manning, Maddy Lickert and Gabby Simons.
Sophomore goalkeeper Bailee Class did not allow a goal to post her sixth shutout in seven post-season playoff matches for the Bluebirds.
In the girls state semifinals, Highlands (14-9-2) will play Central Hardin (17-7-0) and Lexington Catholic (21-4-1) will take on Louisville Sacred Heart (22-2-1) on Wednesday at Lexington Dunbar High School. Starting times have yet to be announced.
The boys state semifinal matches on Tuesday at Lexington Dunbar will be CovCath (17-7-2) vs. South Oldham (17-2-1) and Louisville St. Xavier (21-2-3) vs. Lexington Bryan Station (20-4-4). Those starting times have also not yet been set.