Center Grove’s soccer teams will find themselves in new territory next week thanks to some large-scale realignment.
The new landscape isn’t any easier to navigate.
The Trojan girls, ranked seventh in the state, learned their postseason fate when the IHSAA revealed its postseason brackets on Sunday evening — and the first-round opponent is a familiar one. The host school for its Class 3A sectional, Center Grove drew a first-round match against No. 10 Bloomington South. The two teams met in Bloomington earlier this season, with the Trojans rallying late to force a 2-2 tie.
The county’s other 3A girls teams will be in action at Franklin Central, where the sledding will be equally tough. Whiteland faces Roncalli in the first round, with the winner to meet Columbus North. On the bottom half of the bracket, Franklin plays Columbus East and Greenwood meets Franklin Central.
Center Grove’s boys will be in Martinsville, where the Trojans picked up a first-round bye and a semifinal date with Bloomington North. Those two teams will also play each other in a regular-season match this Tuesday.
In the other 3A sectional of interest, host Roncalli opens up with a first-round match against Greenwood. The winner will face Columbus North or Columbus East in the semifinal round. On the other side of the draw, Whiteland got a bye into the semis, where the Warriors will play either Franklin or Franklin Central.
Indian Creek, which launched its soccer programs this fall, will make their Class 2A tournament debuts. The girls drew a bye into the semifinal round, where they will meet host Edgewood in a semifinal match. The Braves lost to the Mustangs in August, 8-0. At the 2A boys sectional in Greencastle, Indian Creek has a first-round match against WIC rival Northview. The Braves faced the Knights in their first-ever match last month, suffering a 3-0 defeat.
In Class A, the Greenwood Christian boys face a first-round matchup against Bloomington Lighthouse in the White River Valley Sectional. The winner of that contest will take on Eminence in the semifinal round. The favored host Wolverines reside in the top half of the draw.
The Greenwood Christian girls received a bye into the semifinal round of the Heritage Christian Sectional — but that didn’t exactly turn out to be a gift. The Cougars’ opponent will be either Scecina or No. 1-ranked Park Tudor. The host Eagles, ranked third, are on the other side of the bracket.
