Tough Road Ahead For Tigers After 7-0 Win
August 24, 2022 at 11:07 p.m.
Tough Road Ahead For Tigers After 7-0 Win
By Chip Davenport-
Goalkeepers Nehemiah Wright and Raul Carbajal posted a shutout.
The casual fan might perceive there is an embarrassment of riches for the 2022 Tigers. Head coach Ryan Burgher and his young men, however, while collectively appreciating a side chock full of contributors capable of lighting up the scoreboard, are also well-aware the toughest part of the journey starts Thursday at their Northern Lakes Conference opener in Plymouth.
“We haven't scored like this before as a team,” Burgher the third-year Tiger mentor remarked. “It's been nice, but starting Thursday when conference comes around, I think we won’t be able to score as much as we (have).
“(It’s) nice to have a team that… our leading goal scorer, Noah Vanpuffelen, didn't get a goal today but then we had a bunch of guys that hadn't scored this season who stepped up like Knox Ritter (two goals), Colton Martin, and Matt Marsh scored for us. It's nice to have a dangerous team no matter who's on the field.”
Ritter’s aforementioned two goals each came within the 28-minute mark, the first a shot diagonally from the left on the run courtesy of a well-timed assist by Nathan Dailey.
Ritter’s second goal required the officials’ on-field conference to determine if the ball went into the net because it appeared to land behind the net. The goal was confirmed when the officials examined a sizeable hole in the upper part of the net inside the goal, deceiving the naked eye at first blush.
Tito Sanchez added the next two scores for the Tiger side (32’, 48’). The 4-0 lead gave Burgher another opportunity to trickle some reserves in the mix, and the final three goals midfielder Benjamin Rodriguez (59’), defender Colton Martin (63’), and striker Matt Marsh (77’) wrapped up the offensive output for the hosts.
The Tigers next two Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) foes (Plymouth, and Concord, the latter on Wednesday August 31 at the TSC) bookend a Saturday visit to IHSAA Class 2A number seven-ranked Mishawaka Marian.
“Of course, one of our goals is to win conference so we're looking at Plymouth,” Burgher said of his team’s focus. “Mishawaka Marian… that's also a statement game, but we really need to get the guys’ focus on Plymouth first 'cause that's the first step to winning conference.”
Warsaw and Huntington North team demonstrated good sportsmanship in the throes of a physical match. No yellow cards nor red cards were issued to either side.
This is testimony to the Tigers becoming more intentional, reflecting a team mostly comprised of juniors and seniors who made strides since many of them were baptized in fire in the 2020 season as sophomores.
“We got beat up pretty badly (in 2020),” Burgher said. “However, last year we won conference, and this year I just think they can do something special… winning conference, then winning sectionals.
“(W)e know it's a process. There's a standard for the program of how they should act, and if they don't meet that standard, they're not gonna play, and they know that. They’re all still a bunch of teenage guys, but I think they've been doing a great job just acting he right way on the field.”
The junior varsity Tigers also shut out Huntington North in an 8-0 win. Esteban Saldivar scored two goals while Luke Barbosa, Mydin Burgher, Marsh, Talan Assay, and Ashton Ault also contributed scores.
Warsaw will put its 4-0-1 won-loss-tie record on the line Thursday evening at Plymouth. The junior varsity match begins 5:30 p.m.
Goalkeepers Nehemiah Wright and Raul Carbajal posted a shutout.
The casual fan might perceive there is an embarrassment of riches for the 2022 Tigers. Head coach Ryan Burgher and his young men, however, while collectively appreciating a side chock full of contributors capable of lighting up the scoreboard, are also well-aware the toughest part of the journey starts Thursday at their Northern Lakes Conference opener in Plymouth.
“We haven't scored like this before as a team,” Burgher the third-year Tiger mentor remarked. “It's been nice, but starting Thursday when conference comes around, I think we won’t be able to score as much as we (have).
“(It’s) nice to have a team that… our leading goal scorer, Noah Vanpuffelen, didn't get a goal today but then we had a bunch of guys that hadn't scored this season who stepped up like Knox Ritter (two goals), Colton Martin, and Matt Marsh scored for us. It's nice to have a dangerous team no matter who's on the field.”
Ritter’s aforementioned two goals each came within the 28-minute mark, the first a shot diagonally from the left on the run courtesy of a well-timed assist by Nathan Dailey.
Ritter’s second goal required the officials’ on-field conference to determine if the ball went into the net because it appeared to land behind the net. The goal was confirmed when the officials examined a sizeable hole in the upper part of the net inside the goal, deceiving the naked eye at first blush.
Tito Sanchez added the next two scores for the Tiger side (32’, 48’). The 4-0 lead gave Burgher another opportunity to trickle some reserves in the mix, and the final three goals midfielder Benjamin Rodriguez (59’), defender Colton Martin (63’), and striker Matt Marsh (77’) wrapped up the offensive output for the hosts.
The Tigers next two Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) foes (Plymouth, and Concord, the latter on Wednesday August 31 at the TSC) bookend a Saturday visit to IHSAA Class 2A number seven-ranked Mishawaka Marian.
“Of course, one of our goals is to win conference so we're looking at Plymouth,” Burgher said of his team’s focus. “Mishawaka Marian… that's also a statement game, but we really need to get the guys’ focus on Plymouth first 'cause that's the first step to winning conference.”
Warsaw and Huntington North team demonstrated good sportsmanship in the throes of a physical match. No yellow cards nor red cards were issued to either side.
This is testimony to the Tigers becoming more intentional, reflecting a team mostly comprised of juniors and seniors who made strides since many of them were baptized in fire in the 2020 season as sophomores.
“We got beat up pretty badly (in 2020),” Burgher said. “However, last year we won conference, and this year I just think they can do something special… winning conference, then winning sectionals.
“(W)e know it's a process. There's a standard for the program of how they should act, and if they don't meet that standard, they're not gonna play, and they know that. They’re all still a bunch of teenage guys, but I think they've been doing a great job just acting he right way on the field.”
The junior varsity Tigers also shut out Huntington North in an 8-0 win. Esteban Saldivar scored two goals while Luke Barbosa, Mydin Burgher, Marsh, Talan Assay, and Ashton Ault also contributed scores.
Warsaw will put its 4-0-1 won-loss-tie record on the line Thursday evening at Plymouth. The junior varsity match begins 5:30 p.m.
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