Published: October 23, 2009 11:14 am      

Raider soccer boys take aim

Northridge’s opportunity to play for a boys soccer semistate championship depends upon the Raiders getting by No. 13-ranked Homestead and its high school All-American Keegan Harkenrider.

Unranked Northridge (16-3-2) squares off with Homestead (15-4-1) Saturday at 10 a.m. on Hefner Fields at The Plex in Fort Wayne. The No. 16 Warsaw Tigers (13-4-4) face Muncie Central (15-3) in the other semifinal, also at 10 a.m.

Winners return for the championship game at 6 p.m. and a berth in the Final Four on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis. The Fort Wayne winner meets the Evansville champion while winners from Valparaiso and Indianapolis clash in the other.

“Harkenrider is a quality player,” Northridge coach Todd Woodworth said. “We are going to have to stay close to him and limit his touches.”

Harkenrider, who will be playing at NCAA Division-I Denver University next fall, netted the winning goal in Homestead’s 1-0 regional title win over Carroll.

The Raiders have not played Homestead this season.

“While we haven’t played them we have played like opponents,” Woodworth said. “We tied Carroll 1-1 while Homestead won 1-0. We have beaten Warsaw 1-0 and 3-0 while Homestead lost 1-0. We defeated Westview 2-0 and 3-0. Homestead beat them 4-1 or 5-1.

“We need to play well and have proven we can by not losing to a ranked team all season.”

Leading scorers for the Raiders are junior forward Andy Morrison 20 goals, junior Steven Alvarado eight, junior Luke Davis seven, junior Josh Miller three, senior Michael Stalter two, senior Zachary Gibson, junior Ross Jones and junior Logan Lambright one each.

Assist leaders are Alvarado and Davis eight apiece, Josh Miller six, junior Luke Virgil, junior Lucas Miller and Morrison four apiece, junior Joey Salee and Stalter both two, senior Brock King and senior Michael Moses one apiece.

Raider junior Derrick Giddens is the top goalkeeper with 80 saves and 11 shutouts on the season.

Harkenrider and classmate Tom Ault both scored 12 goals for Homestead during the regular season.