Louisville City FC claimed a remarkable 5-3 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday afternoon in the USL Championship’s debut on the CBS Television Network as LouCity’s Wilson Harris continued his blistering start to the season with a hat trick for the hosts and Jack Blake’s brace kept Indy in the contest in a wide-open contest.

Here are three storylines we took away from a barn-burner of a contest played before 11,330 fans at Lynn Family Stadium.

1. WILSON HARRIS WILL NOT BE DENIED

Since his breakout season for Sporting Kansas City II in 2019 when he bagged 12 goals in 25 appearances, Wilson Harris has become one of the best pure finishers in the USL Championship. On Saturday, he showed how his game has reached another level this season with his first hat trick in the Championship powered by a relentless display that made it happen.

Harris’ willingness to do the work in putting defenders under pressure and constantly reset to gain position for scoring chances is outstanding. It was evident in the opening goal after 16 minutes when he chased down a good ball over the top, and when his initial cross was half-cleared immediately got back in position to receive a pass as Louisville’s midfield pushed up to win back possession. That reset left him clear to receive a pass into the left side of the penalty area and strike home a finish to the bottom-right corner to put the hosts ahead.

Harris’ timing and work-rate was evident in his three other goal contributions, running the channels again late in the first half before cutting back a cross that Jansen Wilson turned home to restore LouCity’s lead, and then beating Indy’s offside line twice to wrap up his hat trick – from this seat, it looked like Indy’s Aedan Stanley stepped up a moment late after being level with Harris as the last man.

The 24-year-old has had hot goalscoring runs before – in 2019 he went on a run of five goals in three games for SKC II – but we’ve not seen anything like this from him before. With seven goals in four games to start the new campaign, the Championship’s 2020 Young Player of the Year is the early favorite for the Golden Boot and likely plenty more.

2. LOUCITY’S ELIJAH WYNDER IS LEVELING UP

Everyone knew the hype about Joshua Wynder when he broke into Louisville City FC’s starting lineup consistently three years ago, resulting in his first senior United States Men’s National Team call-up before his transfer to Benfica last summer. Older brother Elijah has had a longer road to get here, but on Saturday he showed why he’s blossoming into a standout central midfielder in a tremendous two-way performance.

Wynder and veteran Taylor Davila gave Louisville control in the center of the park for most of the first half, pressing effectively out of possession and connecting passes to keep their side on the front foot. The 21-year-old LouCity Academy product continued to work in the second half and was soon rewarded with his first goal this season and his second in as many seasons in the Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest. Wynder ended his 80-minute shift having completed 3 of 3 dribbles and 24 of 30 passes – including 10 of 12 in the attacking third – and having made two interceptions in a stellar all-around display.

3. LIPAFC LIVES UP TO THE HYPE

After all the build-up throughout the week to the USL Championship’s debut on the CBS Television Network, the game might have exceeded all the hopes as to what two of the league’s top clubs and rivals would deliver. The eight-goal game was the highest LIPAFC clash in the series’ history as Louisville’s perfect start to the season continued, matching the club’s best start to a campaign in 2018.

Indy Eleven will be disappointed to have come up on the short side of things, but the positive moments the visitors had showed what this side could become by the end of the season. When Jack Blake found the game, he was irresistible with a beautifully finished second goal off Sebastian Guenzatti’s that threatened to make it a game again with half-an-hour to go. The combativeness both sides showed, and the atmosphere that filled Lynn Family Stadium, the local flair with Jack Harlow once again celebrating the action, this was a showcase for the USL Championship and should turn more heads as to what the league has to offer on and off the field.