By Jake Brown, South Bend Tribune staff writer
10/30/2008
MISHAWAKA — Just a couple months ago, the Marian boys soccer team was searching for answers.
The Knights had stumbled to a 1-3 start with losses to Penn, Clay and Indianapolis Cathedral coming off a 2007 season in which they finished 15-2-1.
It wasn’t exactly what anyone had envisioned.
But now, just two wins away from a state championship, those are distant, fading memories as the Knights prepare for their state semifinal match against No. 5 Zionsville at 12 p.m. Saturday at Kuntz Memorial Stadium in Indianapolis.
“I personally didn’t think we were gonna go this far into the tournament (after the slow start),” senior goalkeeper Cody Camp said before practice Wednesday. “I’m more than happy that we are, but it came as a surprise to me.”
Marian (15-6) has gone 14-3 since losing to Cathedral on Sept. 6. And they’ve been doing so as an underdog since postseason play began with a rematch against Northern Indiana Conference rival Penn in the first round of the sectional.
Save for a couple matches along the way — one against Riley in the sectional final and one against LaPorte in the first match of semistate — the Knights haven’t been favored to win any of their postseason matches.
Instead, they’ve toppled the favored team time after time.
They ousted Penn in the sectional, Clay in the regional final and No. 17 Munster in the semistate final after losing to each team during the regular season.
It’s a role the team has been relishing to a certain degree.
“We weren’t favored in sectional, we weren’t favored to win regional, we weren’t favored to win semistate and my odds on is that we’re not favored to win state,” coach Ben Householter said. “Yeah, I think they like being the underdog and proving people wrong. Hopefully we’ll do the same this weekend.”
Toppling some more Goliaths will indeed be in order Saturday if the Knights are to capture a state title.
The other semifinal, which also begins at 12 p.m., features the two top-ranked teams in the state in No. 1 Evansville Memorial (21-0-2) and No. 2 Homestead (21-0-2).
But first Zionsville (19-3-1) awaits in a game few thought the Knights would see in early September.
Not that anyone is satisfied just getting there.
“I’m happy but I’m not satisfied,” junior defender Zach Vidic said. “I want two more victories.”
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