Goshen Ends Warsaw NLC Win Streak
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
It's easy, seventh-year Warsaw football coach Phil Jensen said Friday night, to say you're learning something when you're winning.
The challenge is to bounce back when facing a setback.
Certainly Warsaw was dealt a setback under the lights Friday night at Fisher Field, as Northern Lakes Conference rival Goshen upended the Tigers 15-10, ending their 17-game NLC win streak.
The Tigers' last conference defeat came to NorthWood in 1999.
"It's a been a long time since we've been on this end of it," Jensen said as his players walked off the field in the distance, tears and a stunned look in their eyes. "We'll see what we're made of."
The loss drops Warsaw to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the NLC, while Goshen remains undefeated at 6-0 and 4-0.
Two heavyweights battling for first place in the conference, Warsaw and Goshen traded blows right up to the end.
Trailing 13-10, Warsaw started a drive at its own 20 with 3:36 remaining, but an illegal motion penalty moved the Tigers back five yards. On the second play of the drive senior quarterback Ryan DeGeeter, who earlier in the game found the going a little easier, was stacked up at the line of scrimmage. After an incomplete pass, DeGeeter attempted a punt but the ball sailed over his head and out of the end zone, giving Goshen two points for a safety and accounting for the final score.
Earlier in the week, Jensen said special teams would go a long way in deciding the winner. Friday night his words rang true, as the Tigers gave a up a safety on a high snap and botched a field goal attempt because of a high snap.
"We made some mistakes and they were able to capitalize on them," Jensen said. "I said all along they were well coached. They're a solid football team. We made some mistakes and they were good enough to capitalize, give credit to Goshen."
While the Tigers appeared to struggle offensively in the second half, they did anything but in the early going.
Known as a ball-control team that chews up yardage and time off the clock, Goshen got a taste of its own medicine in the first half.
The Tigers had possession of the ball for all but 1:15 of the first quarter, methodically moving the ball down field and eventually scoring on a 32-yard Jeremy Sharp field goal with 10:36 left in the first half to take a 3-0 lead.
After another strong defensive stand, DeGeeter scrambled 21 yards and then found Thomas Balestri open one play later for a 19-yard touchdown pass, capping off a two-play drive that took just 39 seconds off the clock and gave Warsaw a 10-0 lead.
Twice during the first half DeGeeter tucked the ball away and ran for 20-plus yard gains.
"When Ryan got out and couldn't find anyone open he did a good job of scrambling," Jensen said. "In the second half Goshen took that away."
After starting out like he'd hit the century mark in the first half, Goshen's stingy defense came to life and found its way in the backfield, as DeGeeter finished the game with 16 carries for 52 yards. Five times the 6-foot-5, 210 pounder was stopped behind the line of scrimmage.
The rest of Warsaw's runners combined for 14 carries and 24 yards.
Through the air DeGeeter completed 9 of 21 passes for 116 yards.
A team that outrushed its opponents 1,110 to 219 through the first five games, Goshen as well found the yards hard to come by on the ground. The Redskins finished the game with 60 yards on 40 carries. Tailback Jay Parker led the way with 46 yards on 21 carries, while quarterback Thom Bernheisel was caught six times behind the line of scrimmage and finished with -13 yards on 12 carries.
Bernheisel's biggest gain came with 8:11 left on the third-quarter clock as he called his own number and scampered 16 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. After Ashe Abebe's kick the Redskins led 13-10.
Parker scored Goshen's first touchdown on a five-yard scamper with 1:51 left in the opening half. Warsaw's defense blocked the kick to keep the Redskins down 10-6 at that point.
Winners of the past three conference championships, Warsaw will look to turn things around next Friday at NLC foe Wawasee, followed by a trip to NorthWood and home game with Concord. Goshen puts its unblemished mark on the line next week with Northridge, followed by games with Plymouth and Wawasee.
"We're gonna do what we've been doing, and that's take care of the Warsaw Tigers," Jensen said. "They've got three games left and so do we. We're gonna get ready for a good Wawasee team."
GOSHEN 15, WARSAW 10
Goshen (6-0, 4-0) 0 6 7 2 - 15
Warsaw (4-2, 3-1) 0 10 0 0 - 10
W G
First downs 16 13
Rushing yards 76 60
Passing yards 116 117
Comp.-Att.-Int. 9-22-0 8-15-0
Total offense 192 177
Fumbles/lost 1/1 0/0
Punts/avg. 4-38 6-34
Penalties/yards 5-36 7-64
Second Quarter
W - Jeremy Sharp 32 field goal 10:36, 3-0
W - Thomas Balestri 19 catch from Ryan DeGeeter (Sharp kick) 8:21, 10-0
G - Jay Parker 5 run (kick blocked) 1:51, 10-6
Third Quarter
G - Thom Bernheisel 16 run (Ashe Abebe kick) 8:11, 13-10
Fourth Quarter
G - Safety 3:07, 15-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Ryan DeGeeter 16-52, Ben Kreinbrink 11-12, Ryan Hamilton 2-10, Thomas Balestri 1-2; Goshen, Parker 21-46, Bernheisel 12-(-) 13, Terry Leisure 2-16, Trent Truex 2-8, Dan Laughlin 2-2, Chucky Yoder 1-1
Passing - Warsaw, DeGeeter 9-21-116, 0 INT, 1 TD, Sharp 0-1-0; Goshen, Bernheisel 8-15-117, 0 INT
Receiving - Warsaw, Mike Thallemer 4-57, Balestri 2-23, Adam Suchecki 2-19, Nate Miller 1-17; Goshen, David Koronkowiecz 2-38, Gregg Zentz 2-18, Keith Mackowiak 2-16, Matt Lewallen 1-26, Truex 1-19 [[In-content Ad]]
It's easy, seventh-year Warsaw football coach Phil Jensen said Friday night, to say you're learning something when you're winning.
The challenge is to bounce back when facing a setback.
Certainly Warsaw was dealt a setback under the lights Friday night at Fisher Field, as Northern Lakes Conference rival Goshen upended the Tigers 15-10, ending their 17-game NLC win streak.
The Tigers' last conference defeat came to NorthWood in 1999.
"It's a been a long time since we've been on this end of it," Jensen said as his players walked off the field in the distance, tears and a stunned look in their eyes. "We'll see what we're made of."
The loss drops Warsaw to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the NLC, while Goshen remains undefeated at 6-0 and 4-0.
Two heavyweights battling for first place in the conference, Warsaw and Goshen traded blows right up to the end.
Trailing 13-10, Warsaw started a drive at its own 20 with 3:36 remaining, but an illegal motion penalty moved the Tigers back five yards. On the second play of the drive senior quarterback Ryan DeGeeter, who earlier in the game found the going a little easier, was stacked up at the line of scrimmage. After an incomplete pass, DeGeeter attempted a punt but the ball sailed over his head and out of the end zone, giving Goshen two points for a safety and accounting for the final score.
Earlier in the week, Jensen said special teams would go a long way in deciding the winner. Friday night his words rang true, as the Tigers gave a up a safety on a high snap and botched a field goal attempt because of a high snap.
"We made some mistakes and they were able to capitalize on them," Jensen said. "I said all along they were well coached. They're a solid football team. We made some mistakes and they were good enough to capitalize, give credit to Goshen."
While the Tigers appeared to struggle offensively in the second half, they did anything but in the early going.
Known as a ball-control team that chews up yardage and time off the clock, Goshen got a taste of its own medicine in the first half.
The Tigers had possession of the ball for all but 1:15 of the first quarter, methodically moving the ball down field and eventually scoring on a 32-yard Jeremy Sharp field goal with 10:36 left in the first half to take a 3-0 lead.
After another strong defensive stand, DeGeeter scrambled 21 yards and then found Thomas Balestri open one play later for a 19-yard touchdown pass, capping off a two-play drive that took just 39 seconds off the clock and gave Warsaw a 10-0 lead.
Twice during the first half DeGeeter tucked the ball away and ran for 20-plus yard gains.
"When Ryan got out and couldn't find anyone open he did a good job of scrambling," Jensen said. "In the second half Goshen took that away."
After starting out like he'd hit the century mark in the first half, Goshen's stingy defense came to life and found its way in the backfield, as DeGeeter finished the game with 16 carries for 52 yards. Five times the 6-foot-5, 210 pounder was stopped behind the line of scrimmage.
The rest of Warsaw's runners combined for 14 carries and 24 yards.
Through the air DeGeeter completed 9 of 21 passes for 116 yards.
A team that outrushed its opponents 1,110 to 219 through the first five games, Goshen as well found the yards hard to come by on the ground. The Redskins finished the game with 60 yards on 40 carries. Tailback Jay Parker led the way with 46 yards on 21 carries, while quarterback Thom Bernheisel was caught six times behind the line of scrimmage and finished with -13 yards on 12 carries.
Bernheisel's biggest gain came with 8:11 left on the third-quarter clock as he called his own number and scampered 16 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. After Ashe Abebe's kick the Redskins led 13-10.
Parker scored Goshen's first touchdown on a five-yard scamper with 1:51 left in the opening half. Warsaw's defense blocked the kick to keep the Redskins down 10-6 at that point.
Winners of the past three conference championships, Warsaw will look to turn things around next Friday at NLC foe Wawasee, followed by a trip to NorthWood and home game with Concord. Goshen puts its unblemished mark on the line next week with Northridge, followed by games with Plymouth and Wawasee.
"We're gonna do what we've been doing, and that's take care of the Warsaw Tigers," Jensen said. "They've got three games left and so do we. We're gonna get ready for a good Wawasee team."
GOSHEN 15, WARSAW 10
Goshen (6-0, 4-0) 0 6 7 2 - 15
Warsaw (4-2, 3-1) 0 10 0 0 - 10
W G
First downs 16 13
Rushing yards 76 60
Passing yards 116 117
Comp.-Att.-Int. 9-22-0 8-15-0
Total offense 192 177
Fumbles/lost 1/1 0/0
Punts/avg. 4-38 6-34
Penalties/yards 5-36 7-64
Second Quarter
W - Jeremy Sharp 32 field goal 10:36, 3-0
W - Thomas Balestri 19 catch from Ryan DeGeeter (Sharp kick) 8:21, 10-0
G - Jay Parker 5 run (kick blocked) 1:51, 10-6
Third Quarter
G - Thom Bernheisel 16 run (Ashe Abebe kick) 8:11, 13-10
Fourth Quarter
G - Safety 3:07, 15-10
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Ryan DeGeeter 16-52, Ben Kreinbrink 11-12, Ryan Hamilton 2-10, Thomas Balestri 1-2; Goshen, Parker 21-46, Bernheisel 12-(-) 13, Terry Leisure 2-16, Trent Truex 2-8, Dan Laughlin 2-2, Chucky Yoder 1-1
Passing - Warsaw, DeGeeter 9-21-116, 0 INT, 1 TD, Sharp 0-1-0; Goshen, Bernheisel 8-15-117, 0 INT
Receiving - Warsaw, Mike Thallemer 4-57, Balestri 2-23, Adam Suchecki 2-19, Nate Miller 1-17; Goshen, David Koronkowiecz 2-38, Gregg Zentz 2-18, Keith Mackowiak 2-16, Matt Lewallen 1-26, Truex 1-19 [[In-content Ad]]