FLOYDS KNOBS — Although Floyd Central peppered the Columbus North goal area with shot after shot in Wednesday’s sectional semifinal, goalkeeper Colvin Iorio and the Bull Dog defense kept turning the Highlanders away.
But in the 78th minute, host Floyd Central broke the scoreless tie. Drew Cromwell scored from point-blank range to give the Highlanders a 1-0 win in the semifinals of the Floyd Central Sectional.
Floyd Central (7-8-2) advances to face Columbus East in the finals at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“Floyd Central is a good team,” North coach Tom Pollert said. “New Albany is a good team. Columbus East is a good team. This is a good strong sectional. We get a lot of grief about this sectional, but there’s some good soccer down here.”
Both teams had their chances prior to Cromwell’s late goal. The Highlanders’ Kyle Rippy put one off the left post in the third minute, and the Bull Dogs’ Sotaro Kaneda and Graham Keele were just wide left with shots in the 17th and 32nd minutes.
In the second half, Floyd Central put shots just over the crossbar in the 38th and 42nd minutes and off the crossbar in the 62nd minute. Keele then had a rocket tipped over the crossbar by Highlanders goalkeeper Liam Fitzgerald in the 65th minute.
“I have no idea how he made that save,” Pollert said. “Colvin made some good saves, too.”
Floyd Central outshot North 22-8, putting eight shots on goal to the Bull Dogs’ three. Iorio finished with seven saves.
North, which finished 7-10-1, will lose Keele, who led the team with 16 goals, along with fellow starters Kaneda, Andrew Goble and Ben Malone to graduation.
“We’re just really proud of the seniors,” Pollert said. “All four of those boys are going to be successful in life whatever they do. They’ve helped us bring this program back to where it is and where it’s going, and we appreciate that.”
