SYRACUSE - It wasn't like Sam Wihebrink was underappreciated, just underused.

The Warsaw coaching staff knows about Wihebrink, who regularly boots 40-yard plus field goals in warmups. It is just that the struggling Tiger offense rarely gave him any opportunities.

That changed when Friday when Wihebrink got the chance to show what he can do with his right foot when he shook off the rust and booted a 27-yard field goal as time expired to hand Warsaw an emotional 16-13 win over Wawasee at Warrior Field.

Wihebrink had to wait for his turn to be the hero as Wawasee called two straight time outs in an effort to freeze the Tiger junior. But it didn't do much good as Wihebrink split the uprights from the right hash mark to help snap a two-game winning streak by the Warriors in the series between the two teams and return the traveling "W" trophy to Warsaw.

"It gave me extra time to prepare," Wihebrink said of the two timeouts. "I was very confident I could make the kick."

It was another chance of sorts for Wihebrink, who had an extra point blocked just a few minutes earlier and had another field goal attempt lost in the second quarter on a bad snap.

"It always feels good to get a second chance," Wihebrink said. "I will never forget this game. I like it to be that way (kicking the game-winning field goal). It is something you dream about."

Warsaw won this game almost in spite of itself as the Tigers self-destructed in the first three quarters, losing opportunities on key penalties (7 for 73 yards) and one big interception.

But that might be the thing that makes it that much sweeter for first-year head Phil Jensen, who saw his young squad battle back with a solid fourth quarter.

"To stay in it when we did our usual act of self-destruction, in the first half especially, was a credit to the kids," Jensen said. "We had drops, penalties, just silly things. Even things that are not visible to the fans or reporters, like blown assignments."

Warsaw mounted the fourth-quarter comeback behind the running of sophomore Jose Esquivel and an opportunistic defense.

Down 13-6, the Tigers took advantage of the absence of Warrior outside linebacker Scott Ousley, who left the game with a knee injury. Without the talented junior in the lineup, Warsaw attacked with sweeps and pitches and raced down the field.

The drive ended with Esquivel scoring from two yards out to tie the score at 13. On the extra point attempt, Wawasee's Aaron McFarland crashed through the Tiger line and blocked the kick, leaving the score tied.

After a short kickoff, Wawasee had the ball in great field position at its own 43. The Warriors moved to the Warsaw 42, but Shawn Johnson lost the ball for Wawasee's only turnover of the game.

Again utilizing Esquivel's lightning quick moves and evasive tactics, the Tigers moved into field goal range before settling in at the Wawasee 11. Esquivel had 30 yards on the drive.

Esquivel ended with 104 yards rushing, but more importantly atoned for a dropped pass in the first half that would have at least put Warsaw inside the Wawasee 10-yard line if not in the end zone.

"The kid Esquivel felt bad about dropping the ball," Jensen said. "He wanted it, and he did some things, but he had a lot of help from his friends (the offensive line and Andy Plank)."

Plank, who started the first three games at quarterback, made his first extended time at fullback/wingback count as he ran for 40 yards. But more importantly, he set Esquivel up with key blocks in the fourth.

"It was a chance in personnel and getting Esquivel in good position," Jensen said about the success in the fourth quarter. "It was a different look. And we are young, you have to have that to keep people off balance. They prepared for Plank throwing the football, and Wiley running the option. You have to something in the mix, and our's was putting Esquivel at fullback and just let it go."

Warsaw racked up 111 of its 206 total yards in the fourth quarter.

The loss was a tough one for Wawasee, who had played great in the first quarter and took a 13-7 lead on Ousley's 4-yard run and Johnson's 88-yard kickof return.

"It is very tough loss for the team," Wawasee coach Gene Mitz said. "It is a typical Warsaw-Wawasee game, it came down to the last play. I said it would be who was the most consistent on offense and special teams that would determine the game."

Ousley's injury handcuffed the Warriors, but Johnson's fumble and Wawasee's inability to move the ball in the fourth (eight total yards) were also critical.

"We hurt ourselves when we were in position to move the ball and had the fumble," Mitz said. "Even if we don't get the first down, we could have punted with the wind and pinned them deep. The turnover really hurt. It was a critical point.

"It should have never came down to that kick," he said. "It was 13-13 and we had the opportunity to move the ball, and we didn't."

Johnson paced the Warrior offense with 81 yards on 24 carries and the big kickoff return where he started in the middle of the field and went for the right sidelines and broke three tackles en route to the score.

"Our kickoff return unit worked on that all week," Mitz said. "We put in a sideline return, and that is what it was. It was well executed, and he made an outstanding run."

Earlier in the day, Wawasee found out it was the recepient of another forfeit. After getting one from Carroll earlier in the year, the Warriors got another win after it was discovered that Plymouth used an ineligible sophomore in its last three games, all wins. One of those wins came against Wawasee last week.

Wawasee stands at 3-3 on the season, with only one of those wins coming on the field.

"It is a difficult, emotional thing to do right now, but we have to move on," Mitz said. "It is still just a football game. It is one of the lessons we have to learn, and we will."

Wawasee (2-3 in the NLC) is at Lakeland Friday, while Warsaw (2-4 and 2-2 in the NLC) is at NorthWood. [[In-content Ad]]