Harvest Christian pulls off victory for first-ever regional title

Harvest Christian has been making history with each additional victory.

But Friday’s 3-2 win over St. Edward was bigger because it also earned the Lions their first-ever IHSA regional plaque.

Harvest Christian (12-3-3), the top seed in the Class 1A Westminster Christian Regional, had to erase an early deficit, regain the lead and then hold off a Green Wave team that went all in offensively for the final five minutes.

Second-seeded St. Edward (11-9) had goalkeeper Matt Hesch at midfield and sent every ball toward the Lions’ goal, but the equalizer never came.

“(Goalkeeper) Noah (Fox) came up big for us at the end,” Harvest Christian coach Jason Acres said. “This was an evenly fought game and we may have been a little lucky to finish one more chance than they did.”

St. Edward’s Kevin Bardan had a shot carom off the crossbar with 9:59 remaining, and with five minutes, a Green Wave cross rolled parallel to the goal line begging for a redirect. Alex Semler had a header go wide right, and with 1:04 left, Will Gaston’s well-struck header was saved by Fox.

“I was thinking hat trick when Will headed it, how that keeper, considering the mud and poor footing, was able to plant and get to that ball was hard to believe,” St. Edward coach Tim Brieger said. “When that ball also rolled across and no one got to it, I figured that’s not good.”

Gaston got the Green Wave ahead at 16:09 with an eight-yarder from the center thanks to a cross by Bardan. But the Lions answered within two minutes as Raphael DeSouza’s blast from the left wing found in the inside of the far-right post.Harvest then gained the lead 8:21 prior to halftime when Austin White scored on a set up from Antonio Nevarez.

It was not a game for pretty plays as the muddy field became even more rutted, making every move a mystery. St. Edward’s Alex Uscila delivered a textbook cross that Gaston drilled but Fox initially blocked. But Gaston followed up netting the rebound for his second goal and fifth of the year.

“Both times I saw an opening and just aimed for the right post,” Gaston said. “Unfortunately we needed more.”

Despite looking fatigued, White won a foot race for a loose ball and rocketed a 19-yarder from the right wing that found the inside of the far-left post.

“Whenever I saw a gap, I was filled with energy,” White said. “This feels amazing to have a hard work pay off.”