C.P.'s Davis ready to continue making history

CROWN POINT | This is a feeling Joey Davis isn't used to experiencing, but the Crown Point senior wants to ride it for as long as possible.

Davis scored Crown Point's game-winning goal in the Bulldogs' Merrillville Regional matchup against Lake Central, allowing C.P. to advance and make history with the program's first-ever regional championship two days later.

"It was a huge weight off our backs," Davis said. "Every year, we've always had to deal with our season ending with Lake Central, and we finally beat them. To succeed and get past that felt great. That was a great feeling for us to finally break through and win our first regional."

Davis plays much bigger than his small stature. One of the most important things he's learned to do is avoid getting knocked off the ball -- and how to knock others off it as a midfielder.

Crown Point coach JR Rosenbaum has seen vast improvements in Davis' game the past four years.

"The biggest thing that's improved over the past year is that he's willing to go into tackles, willing to put himself into positions that might be dangerous for most players," Rosenbaum said. "Early on as a sophomore, being smaller than the upperclassmen he kind of shied away from putting himself in the grind. This year, he's put himself wherever he needs to be."

Davis has scored four goals and contributed nine assists this season, making him one of the top passers on the team. Rosenbaum said Davis is also one of Crown Point's most skilled players.

"With the system we play, we rely on our midfielders to put in the work on both sides of the ball," Rosenbaum said. "He's one of those selfless players that loves to go forward and loves to have the ball on his foot, but doesn't shy away from the defensive stuff. He's not your typical attacking player. He plays both sides of the ball and makes sure that defensively we're covered and offensively we're not giving the ball away easily. If you don't have players like that on your team, we're not playing in semistate right now."

The Bulldogs will face Noblesville at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Warsaw Semistate. Should they win, they'll play the winner of Warsaw and Fort Wayne Carroll for a chance to advance to state.

"I'm pumped," Davis said. "Just the opportunity we have this weekend is huge for us."