Fort Wayne Canterbury won its first IHSAA state title in any sport with a 2-1 victory over Carmel in the Fourth Annual IHSAA Boys Soccer state championship Nov. 1, 1997 at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis.

 The winning score came at 56:12 of the second period on a goal by senior Luke Carpenter with an assist from Dan Limburg. Carmel opened the score at 16:55 of the first period on a goal by Matt Glasser. Sixth-ranked Fort Wayne Canterbury (19-2-2) tied the game at 25:28 of the first period on a goal by Nate Shoaff.

Carmel, ranked fifth in the coaches association poll, finished the season 19-2-3.

Carmel had advanced to the championship game with a 1-0 triumph over Valparaiso. Senior Brad DeVilbiss nailed a penalty shot with 13:56 left in the game as the Greyhounds handed second-ranked Valparaiso (22-1) its only loss of the year.

Fort Wayne Canterbury reached the championship game with a 4-1 victory over No. 3 Washington (21-1-2) in the other semifinal. The Cavaliers eliminated the Hatchets for the second straight year in the semifinals.

CROUCH NAMED BOYS MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT – Andy Crouch, a senior at Washington High School, was named the 1997 recipient of the C. Eugene Cato Mental Attitude Award in Boys Soccer. Crouch scored 33 goals in 24 games this season for the Hatchets, who made their third straight state finals appearance. Washington fell to Fort Wayne Canterbury 3-0 in the semifinals. Crouch ranks 10^th academically in a class of 179 students. Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 c heck to Washington High School in Crouch’s name.

Fort Wayne Canterbury 4, Washington 1.

Carmel 1, Valparaiso 0.

Championship: Fort Wayne Canterbury 2, Carmel 1.