Owen Hallas expected his hard work to pay dividends.
Running the bleachers in the stadium during the summer.
Getting to the field two hours before games to practice shooting.
Juggling in the backyard after training to improve touch on the ball.
But he didn’t anticipate having this type of senior season.
The focal point of Chesterton’s run to a Class 2A state runner-up finish, Hallas set a school record for goals with 27 in a season. The speedy and powerful forward surpassed Trent Weller’s 23 from 2014 and also contributed nine assists.
“It was surprising to everybody, including myself,” said Hallas, the Post-Tribune 2016 Boys Soccer Player of the Year. “The late nights and early mornings, when no one’s around, you hope you’re capable of doing something special.
“Getting my name in the record book for a great team and program, it’s amazing, an incredible honor. It was the cherry on top of our season.”
It was a season of change.
After two successful seasons at left midfield, Hallas shifted to forward. And after two seasons wearing jersey No. 8, he was No. 17 as the Trojans will annually honor the late Mitch Winey.
“My senior year and representing Mitch Winey, I wanted to go out with a bang,” Hallas said. “You have to think anything is possible and it’s up to you to make it happen.
“Mitch Winey was special to me. I was playing for him. That kept me going, kept me hungry. Every practice, every game, I was giving my all and laying it on the line.”
Hallas, a two-year team captain, became the first Region boys soccer player to win the Mental Attitude Award. He impressed Chesterton coach James Sensibaugh.
“The single-season goal record, I did not think that was going to be broken for quite some time just because our schedule is so difficult,” Sensibaugh said. “We don’t have many games where kids are going to rack up goals. Unless it’s a tight game, three is the limit — we’re not going to leave a kid in for four, five, six, seven goals.
“I appreciate the way he did it. He never pressed to get those numbers. He’s coachable, and that makes Owen stand out. He’s receptive to criticism and he tries to improve his game. He just let the game come to him. The results were outstanding for somebody who picked their moments and spots.”
Hallas had nine goals and four assists in seven postseason games. He scored at least once in five games, including the Trojans’ 2-1 loss in the final to Evansville Memorial, and had at least one assist in the other two.
“Everybody knew he was our goal scorer, he had everybody’s attention,” Sensibaugh said. “He was double-teamed, sometimes he was our lone striker up top, and he still managed to score that many goals. It’s a testament to his ability.
“He was so difficult to keep under control. Teams had to resort to fouling him. He drew six or seven red cards — that’s the most I’ve seen in my entire career. That shows how difficult he was to prevent from getting behind you.”
Hallas even played the final two-plus games with a fractured left wrist. He suffered the injury in the Trojans’ semistate semifinal against West Noble, wearing a brace in the semistate final against West Lafayette Harrison and the state final against Memorial.
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“When it happened, I knew it was bad,” Hallas said. “There was a ton of pain. But I knew my teammates needed me. The week before state, we were prepping it — the state championship game, the biggest and last game of my life, I wasn’t going to miss it.”
Barring a change, Hallas does not intend to play soccer in college. Also a standout baseball player, he plans to study finance and accounting at Indiana.
“We’ll see what happens,” Hallas said. “I love soccer, and I’m not quite ready to give it up. If other options come along, I’m open to playing both sports.”
Twitter @MichaelOsipoff