Carmel Girls Soccer Coach Dixon Is Selected NHSCA Coach Of The Year For A 2nd Time
Published January 16, 2012 | Carmel High School girls soccer coach Frank Dixon was honored over the weekend as the National High School Soccer Coach of the Year for 2011. It was the second national coach-of-the-year award for the nine-time state-championship coach. He also received the honor in 2002.
Frank Dixon has coached Carmel's girls soccer team for 21 seasons, winning nine state championships, the most since the IHSAA sanctioned the tournament in the 1994-95 season. Dixon also led Carmel to the inaugural title/HC Sports Daily file photo.
| NAME | SCHOOL | YEARS | RECORD | PCT. |
| Carlos Giron | St. Thomas Aquinas, Fl. | 1984-2009 | 628-61-14 | .906 |
| Paul Heenehan | Franklin Lakes, Ramapo, NJ | 1967- 2009 | 621-67-34 | .884 |
| Barry Jacobson | Downers Grove South, IL | 1984-2010 | 451-135-54 | .744 |
| Helen Sandford | Oneonta, NY | 1973-2002 | 440-121-25 | .773 |
| Frank Dixon | Carmel, IN | 1990- | 409-24-28 | .945 |
Source: National HS Record Book
The award is presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. They present awards to coaches from every level of soccer, youth to NCAA D1.
Dixon was named the Girls High School D1 COY (D1 is large school).
“In my opinion this is a tremendous honor, but it’s not all about my coaching . . . such a tremendous honor for all of our success is the fact I’ve had so much talent and so many good athletes play for me,’’ Dixon said.
The organization holds a convention every year in January and hosts a banquet to announce the award winners. The presentation was made on Jan. 13 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo.
SOCCER: Carmel’s Backes, Dixon Sweep Honors
Published November 22, 2011 | Carmel’s Brooke Backes was named Player of the Year and her coach, Frank Dixon, was selected Coach of the Year by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association.
Brooke Backes
Backes helped lead Carmel to an unbeaten season and also scored the winning goal in the 1-0 girls state 2A championship victory over Hamilton Southeastern.
Frank Dixon
Dixon won his ninth state championship, most in Indiana girls soccer history.
Carmel’s Tori Doss, Molly Pittman and goalkeep Sam Tiongson also were named to the first team, as were Hamilton SE’s Hannah Miller, Elly McGuffog and GK Stacey DePriest, and Noblesville’s Macy Kootz.
Among the boys, Noblesville’s Zach Rodgers and Dayton Jennings were the lone first-team selections from Hamilton County.
2011 Girls and Boys All-State
GIRLS
First Team
Brooke Backes, Tori Doss, Molly Pittman, Sam Tiongson, Carmel; Hannah Miller, Elly McGuffog, Stacey DePriest, Hamilton Southeastern; Macy Kootz, Noblesville.
Lady Greyhounds State Soccer Champions
Published October 30, 2011 | 
Carmel players celebrate first-half goal by Brooke Backes (4), which proved to be winning goal/Hamilton County Sports Daily photos; Shawn Barney.
Last year’s injury and sectional loss remain quite vivid for Carmel senior Brooke Backes.
But both disappointments were replaced by winning the Indiana high school girls soccer championship at Kuntz Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s amazing,’’ said the Iowa-bound Backes. “The injury, the loss to Hamilton Southeastern in the sectional, well, are you kidding me . . . this was worth the wait.’’
Coach Frank Dixon wins his 9th girls state championship.
Backes — who suffered multiple breaks in her right leg after colliding with Southeastern goalie Stacey DePriest in a 1-0 loss that ended the Carmel captain’s season and that of the previously unbeaten Lady Greyhound — had a big smile and a lot of satisfaction after getting the winning goal past the senior goalie in a 1-0 victory over the Lady Royals in the battle of Class 2A unbeatens that lived up to its hype.
“I wasn’t thinking about that . . . what happened to me personally last year,’’ said Backes, who made a spin move and got the timely assist from Samantha Kokoska at the 15:11 mark of the first half. “I was ready for it; knew I had a job to do . . . to get time the ball from Sam and get it into the net. It was amazing, so amazing to kick a goal in the state finals and then to know it was the winning goal.’’
 Southeastern’s Elly McGuffog Wins Mental Attitude Award
Hamilton Southeastern’s Elly McGuffog was the recipient of the 2011 Mental Attitude Award for the girls Class 2A soccer. The senior captain, an All-State selection in 2010, is ranked 10th in her class of 648. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honorary, student Athletic Council, and is freshman mentor and student tutor. She has volunteered at the Wheeler Mission for six years. She is the daughter of Betsy Ford and Neil McGuffog. She will attend Columbia University to study math and science. “Elly has proven she has the drive to succeed in all areas of her life and truly exemplifies the spirit and passion of her generation.’’
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| Class 2A State Finals Carmel 1, Hamilton SE 0 |
Now, what could also be amazing would be a national championship.
Hamilton Southeastern senior Stacey DePriest makes one of her state-record 12 saves.
“You never know, it could happen,’’ said Backes, still smiling.
Carmel (22-0-1) and Southeastern (20-1-2) came into what was a history-making state finals ranked Nos. 2 and No. 5 in the ESPN girls national poll. Both Hamilton County teams have etched their names in the IHSAA archives since it was the first year for the new two-class tournament, and the first time two teams from the same county have met in the championship match since the inception of the tournament in 1994.
Thanks To 2-Class System, Carmel, Southeastern To Settle Championship in State Soccer Setting
Published October 26, 2011 | They say that good things come to those who wait.
Case in point: Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern play for the Indiana high school girls soccer championship at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Kuntz Stadium. Last year, under a one-class tournament format that could not have happened.
The irony of this match-up, as Carmel coach Frank Dixon pointed out, is that before this year, when the Indiana high School Athletic Association divided soccer into a two-class sport, both teams played in the same sectional and one of the teams would have long ago turned in their uniforms.
A year ago, Carmel was also unbeaten. It lost top player Brooke Backes to a major injury in the Hamilton Southeastern Sectional championship game and eventually lost to the Lady Royals.
Well, the perennial powerhouse Lady Greyhounds, led by a healthy Backes, are back. But so is HSE, which appears to be even stronger than in 2010.
Coach Greg Davidson takes Southeastern girls to first state finals/HC Sports Daily file photo.
Carmel coach Frank Dixon shoots for ninth state championship/HC Sports Daily photo.
Carmel (21-0-1) is No. 1 and Southeastern (20-0-2) is No. 2 in the state.
Both survived difficult sectional tests when Carmel came from behind to knock off Guerin Catholic, and Southeastern had to get past Noblesville for the second time this season. That, by the way, is the same Noblesville team that tied Carmel.
Now, Southeastern coach Greg Davidson will be trying to make a statement for his program on the state’s biggest stage.
At stake in addition to the state championship, is a possible national championship. “ESPN has stated that the winner of this game could possibly be named the No. 1 team in the National Poll,’’ according to Davidson.
Very likely, considering that Carmel was ranked No. 2 and HSE No. 5 last week by ESPN/Powerade.
2011 SOCCER: HC Sports Daily Teams Honored
Published October 24, 2011 | Hamilton Southeastern senior Hannah Miller and Carmel junior goalkeeper Eric Dick have been selected as the Hamilton County Sports Daily girls and boys Players of the Year for 2011.
Boys Player of the Year Eric Dick also was a member of the 2010 inaugural Hamilton County Sports Daily team/HC Sports Daily photo: Shawn Barney.
Girls Player of the Year Hannah Miller scored four of the seven goals in HSE's two semistate victories/HC Sports Daily photo: Mark Morrow.
There are Co-Coaches of the Year for the girls: Frank Dixon (Carmel) and Greg Davidson (Hamilton Southeastern).
The boys coach of the Year is Carmel’s Shane Schmidt.
All three coaches coached teams ranked nationally this season. Carmel, which enjoyed a second straight unbeaten regular season, was ranked No. 1 and Southeastern No. 8; and the Carmel boys, who lost in the regional final, were No. 6.
Both Davidson and Schmidt were Co-Coaches of the Year on the inaugural Hamilton County Sports Daily Honor soccer Teams in 2010.
Miller, who led the Hoosier Crossroads Conference with 18 goals, scored four goals in Southeastern’s Fort Wayne Semistate championship, including both goals in the 2-0 final-game victory over No. 8 South Bend St. Joseph’s.
“Hannah Miller has taken this season by storm. She’s one of our team captains and is the leading scorer on our team (and our conference) (22 goals, 7 assists). Against the best team we played this year (Noblesville), she carried us on her back the first time we played, getting both goals, and got the assist the second time we played them,’’ said Davidson.
“Hannah will play Div. I soccer next year at Eastern Illinois, and is getting Div. I type goals this year —scoring from distance, breakaways, and quick turns with a shot. She has become one of the best forwards and scorers I have ever had at HSE.’’
“Eric is an outstanding GK and is most deserving of such an honor,’’ Schmidt said. “He has more than spectacular numbers to back it up.’’
Dick had 14.5 shutouts and a .258 GAA for the Greyhounds (15-1-2).
Hamilton County coaches were involved in the overall selection process.
The girls and boys teams are listed under Honor Teams on the information bar at the top of the home page.
Carmel Vs. HSE: Who Will Wear State Crown?
Published October 23, 2011 | 
Carmel sophomore Samantha Kokoska stops the ball in the morning victory over Evansville Memorial/HC Sports Daily photos: Shawn Barney.
Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern didn’t play each other in the regular season.
But they punched their tickets to the Indiana high school girls state soccer finals on Saturday, and now each Hamilton County power will try to punch out one another for the Class 2A
IHSAA Girls State Finals: Saturday, Oct. 29, Kuntz Stadium, 3:30 p.m.
state championship on Saturday, Oct. 29, at 3:30 p.m. at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis.
Tori Doss makes an aggressive play to get to the ball.
Top-ranked Carmel (21-0-1) won the North Central Semistate by disposing of No. 3 Evansville Memorial in a semifinal 3-2, and then ousted Columbus North 1-0 (3-1) on penalty kicks in the final.
Hamilton Southeastern (20-0-2) pretty much breezed through the Fort Wayne Semistate, decking Leo 7-1 and blanking early-season No. 1 South Bend St. Joseph’s 2-0.
The showdown also will draw national interest. Carmel is ranked No. 1 in one by the National High School Coaches’ Association and No. 3 by ESPN RISE, which ranked HSE No. 8.
“There are not many things a person can do to test her pain tolerance, will to win and overall physical conditioning that matches playing two soccer matches against good teams in a 10-hour period for a championship and the right to play for a state title. My players did just that on Saturday and came away with another lesson about the difference between thinking you deserve something because you are good and getting something because you earned it,” said Carmel coach Frank Dixon.
To view more photos of this and other games….
Guerin Catholic Boys Soccer On Quite A Ride
Published October 19, 2011 | Four Hamilton County schools — two girls teams, 2 boys teams — will be playing in high school soccer semistates on Saturday.
In girls competition, top-ranked Carmel (19-0-1) meets No. 3 Evansville Memorial in the second game at North Central, and No. 2 Hamilton Southeastern (18-0-2) in Class 2A.
2011 Soccer Semistates
Carmel and Southeastern are also ranked Nos.1 and No. 3, respectively, in national polls.
In boys competition, No. 13 Noblesville (14-3-2) meets Crown Point in 2A at Warsaw, and 1A No. 5 Guerin Catholic (14-5-2) takes on No. 1 Fort Wayne Canterbury (15-1-4) in the second match at Laville.
Championship matches are set for Saturday night.
Guerin’s advancement to the semistate is even more significant since it’s a first for coach Jon Cech’s Golden Eagles, who are still savoring last week’s regional championship last week.
And it will be an especially busy weekend for senior goalie and football player Greg Goodin.
Goodin kicks for the Guerin football team, which entertains Alexandria in a first-round Class 2A sectional football game at 7 p.m. on Friday, and then he’ll make the 2 ½-hour drive head north for Laville.
Carmel, Southeastern Girls Win Soccer Regionals
Published October 16, 2011 | Top-ranked Carmel and No. 2 Hamilton Southeastern are each two victories away from a date in the girls 2A state soccer finals.
Carmel, ranked No. 1 nationally in one poll and No. 3 in another, and Southeastern, No. 6 in the ESPN national poll, earned regional soccer championships on Saturday and advance to semistates.
Carmel (19-0-1) had to come from behind to defeat No. 15 Brebeuf Jesuit in the Zionsville Regional, while HSE flattened Harrison 7-1 in the Logansport Regional.
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NOBLESVILLE, GUERIN CATHOLIC WIN BOYS SOCCER REGIONAS; click on continue reading
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The Lady Greyhounds tied the score at 1 with two minutes left in the first half, and Tori Doss scored the winner with 35 minutes remaining. It was her second goal of the game.
Carmel advances to the North Central Semistate, and will meet No. 3 Evansville Memorial in the 10 a.m. opener on on Oct. 22. The title game is set for 7 p.m.
HSE (18-0-2) competes in the Fort Wayne Semistate. The Lady Royals meet Leo (17-0-3) in the first game at 10 a.m. The winner will play again that night at 7 o’clock for the championship.
“Forward/Midfielder Tori Doss had a big game, scoring two goals, setting up teammates for shots and playing tenacious defense. Senior captain Brooke Backes also had an excellent game,” Carmel coach Frank Dixon said.
“I once coached a Greyhound team that earned the nickname ‘Cardiac Kids.’ While the name was not exactly original, that team earned it by winning many games late or coming back from a deficit to win. If this year’s team continues the current trend, they will soon earn the moniker ‘Cardiac Kids II.’
The Lady Greyhounds have now played five straight ranked teams.
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