Photo Credit: Brian Haenchen
NOBLESVILLE – It's amazing the difference a single piece can make.
Noblesville was without Spencer Holland when it played Fishers to a scoreless draw during the regular season. The senior forward was available and active for Saturday's rematch in the Class 3A Sectional 8 championship game, and his impact was undeniable.
With No. 5 on the attack, the Millers' offense ran significantly smoother than it did in the team's initial meeting, with the sectional hosts maintaining possession through the majority of the game.
More directly, Holland also accounted for the game-winning goal, heading in a cross from Palmer Ault with 16:40 left in regulation.
Noblesville is onto regional.
"This is just the start," Ault said following the 1-0 victory. "This is what we've been working for our whole lives. Having a great group of seniors and coming out with a win against a great team, there's no better feeling than that."
Holland was at the forefront of a dominating (and at times overwhelming) attack.
The Millers spent most of the game in the offensive end with their skill players finding space and generating scoring chances almost at will.
It was an impressive display, one which coach Ken Dollaske credited to his skill players' ability to play multiple positions. Ault, for instance, can play out wide, at the top or at center mid, while Holland typically plays out on the wing, but can move to the middle and make runs behind the line — like he did Saturday night vs. Fishers.
"What makes us so dangerous is that our skill players aren't just pigeonholed into a particular position," Dollaske continued. "They're able to be very fluid and that makes it very challenging for opposing defenses."
"We work great together," Holland added. "We've been playing with each other for 12-13 years, so we know where we're going to be and when. The chemistry we have is amazing."
Though Noblesville held a decisive advantage in scoring opportunities, goalkeeper Tyler March and the Tigers' backline withstood their opponent's barrage and refused to fold, even after conceding the go-ahead goal 24 minutes into the second half.
"I've coached a lot of great goalies and the season Tyler had is right there, if not the best that I've observed," Fishers coach Phil Schmidt said of March, who allowed just eight goals this season. "He's kept us in games, he's talented, he works hard, and is just a determined competitor. That's one of the best seasons I've seen from a goalie in my 21 years."
Fishers' fight was admirable, but the Millers simply would not be denied.
Ault carried the ball into the left corner, before unleashing a cross toward the middle of the box. The perfectly placed ball narrowly avoided the frantic clearance attempt by a Fishers defender, then deflected off Holland's head and into the back of the net.
"I was not expecting (that pass)," Holland laughed. "(But) I knew the second that ball went up that I just had to get my head on it, redirect it on goal, and it was going to go in."
Fishers mounted one final charge, but finding cracks in the Noblesville defense proved nearly impossible, and any shots that managed to slip through were promptly scooped up by Noblesville keeper Gabe Ingle.
"That was a great team win against a hard team to play," Holland said. "But we still have work to do."
After one final Noblesville clearance, the celebration ensued, but it didn't take long for Dollaske's focus to shift toward what's ahead.
"This means a lot, but literally a minute after the game ended, I was right back to the drawing board saying we have work to do," he said. "This is a great accomplishment, we got out of a very difficult sectional, but now it's onto regionals and we have to go play Columbia City. It's onto the next one."