Warsaw Overcomes Vs. Valley
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
When Warsaw lost senior starting center Matt Hauck to a separated shoulder in the first half, things could have been bleak for the Tigers. It was behind that big offensive line that Warsaw had built its hopes of finally unloading its run-and-shoot offense on someone. And with Hauck out and tackle Jamie Elliott ailing, the line looked to be going from a strength to a weakness for Warsaw.
But the Tigers found hope in a moment of despair and even used it as a spark in a 27-0 win over Kosciusko County rival Tippecanoe Valley Friday at Death Valley.
When Hauck went down, the other guys on the line seemed to step things up and helped give Tiger quarterback Andy Plank enough time to throw for 231 yards and allow Jose Esquivel to rush for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
"The kids overcame it and came out ready to play," Warsaw coach Phil Jensen said. "They took advantage of the things that were presented to us. The kids stepped up and made the plays."
Hauck, who sat out last season after surgeries on both shoulders, went down midway through the second quarter after separating a shoulder once again. He had the shoulder operated on again and will be out for the season.
"We lost Matt Hauck, and that hurts for him and his teammates," Jensen said.
With Jerrod Engler at center, the Tigers seemed to pick things up late in the second quarter when Plank hit Pat Riley perfectly in stride for a 62-yard scoring strike and a 7-0 Warsaw lead at halftime.
The Vikings were in the game despite having quarterback R.J. Hutchinson throw two interceptions as well as a key fumble by Orville Haney in the first half.
"We are still putting the ball on the ground too much," Valley coach Scott Bibler said. "We are not in synch right now."
Valley lost the ball five times last week in a loss to North Judson.
Warsaw kept it going early in the third quarter when it recovered a fumble on Valley's first offensive possession. Two plays later, the new-look offensive line opened up a big hole in the middle of the field, and Esquivel ran virtually untouched from 23 yards out and a 14-0 Warsaw lead.
Plank set up the Tigers' third score of the night when he hit Esquivel for a 47-yard pass play down to the Valley 15. Two plays later, Esquivel got his second score of the night when he again went through a big hole opened by the offensive line for an 8-yard touchdown.
Sophomore backup quarterback Greg Seiss helped ice the game when he hit Jon Hill from 39 yards out and a 27-0 Warsaw lead.
"They had a good game plan and caused us some problems in the first half," Jensen said. "We were fortunate to get some breaks, and we took advantage of them."
The Tigers preserved the shutout late in the contest when the Warsaw defense, made up mainly of backups, stopped the Vikes' Anthony Simpson on a fourth-down play from the Warsaw 5-yard line.
"The defense worked real hard and made some big plays in the first half to keep us in the ball game," Jensen said. "That is one of those things that pulls you together as a team. The kids who had been standing the whole game came in and decided the shutout."
Warsaw's offense outgained Valley 391 to 245 with 281 of Warsaw's yards coming through the air.
"Warsaw flat-out kicked our butts," Bibler said. "That is all there is to it, no excuses. Warsaw is not a great team, tonight they were, and we were very, very poor. Phil (Jensen) knows he has a long way to go with that group. They are building and getting better each week.
"Last week, our kids didn't fold, and they battled," he said. "Tonight, I feel like we gave up, not everybody. I feel we didn't play hard the whole time. In the first half, we were containing them defensive-wise from running the ball. They had to go to the air. In the second half, they did not have to. That is not any kind of change. That is just pride, people getting after it and pride."
Valley tried to give its offense a boost in the second half when Bibler traded sophomore quarterbacks with Brandon Eaton taking Hutchinson's place. Eaton fared well with 8 of 14 passing for 82 yards, but the Vikings couldn't overcome the Tiger lead.
It was a game that was going to make or break one of these two teams' seasons or at least put an incredible damper on the loser. Both teams entered the contest 0-1 after opening-game losses.
Now, it is Valley searching for the answers, and Warsaw celebrating its first win of the season.
"We are going to have gut-check time this week," Bibler said. "We are going to find out what is going to go on with these guys. We have a lot to look at, and it isn't on the positive side. It is what we have to do to get better.
"I am walking away from this game a lot mad and very disappointed," he said. "We are not going to rewrite everything this week, but we have to get better at what we are trying to get done."
Jason Barrett and Riley both picked up the defense with interceptions against Hutchinson in the first half. It was Warsaw's first shutout since 1995 when it blanked Goshen 17-0.
Both teams will open their conference schedules next with Valley (0-2) at Manchester and Warsaw (1-1) hosting Plymouth. [[In-content Ad]]
When Warsaw lost senior starting center Matt Hauck to a separated shoulder in the first half, things could have been bleak for the Tigers. It was behind that big offensive line that Warsaw had built its hopes of finally unloading its run-and-shoot offense on someone. And with Hauck out and tackle Jamie Elliott ailing, the line looked to be going from a strength to a weakness for Warsaw.
But the Tigers found hope in a moment of despair and even used it as a spark in a 27-0 win over Kosciusko County rival Tippecanoe Valley Friday at Death Valley.
When Hauck went down, the other guys on the line seemed to step things up and helped give Tiger quarterback Andy Plank enough time to throw for 231 yards and allow Jose Esquivel to rush for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
"The kids overcame it and came out ready to play," Warsaw coach Phil Jensen said. "They took advantage of the things that were presented to us. The kids stepped up and made the plays."
Hauck, who sat out last season after surgeries on both shoulders, went down midway through the second quarter after separating a shoulder once again. He had the shoulder operated on again and will be out for the season.
"We lost Matt Hauck, and that hurts for him and his teammates," Jensen said.
With Jerrod Engler at center, the Tigers seemed to pick things up late in the second quarter when Plank hit Pat Riley perfectly in stride for a 62-yard scoring strike and a 7-0 Warsaw lead at halftime.
The Vikings were in the game despite having quarterback R.J. Hutchinson throw two interceptions as well as a key fumble by Orville Haney in the first half.
"We are still putting the ball on the ground too much," Valley coach Scott Bibler said. "We are not in synch right now."
Valley lost the ball five times last week in a loss to North Judson.
Warsaw kept it going early in the third quarter when it recovered a fumble on Valley's first offensive possession. Two plays later, the new-look offensive line opened up a big hole in the middle of the field, and Esquivel ran virtually untouched from 23 yards out and a 14-0 Warsaw lead.
Plank set up the Tigers' third score of the night when he hit Esquivel for a 47-yard pass play down to the Valley 15. Two plays later, Esquivel got his second score of the night when he again went through a big hole opened by the offensive line for an 8-yard touchdown.
Sophomore backup quarterback Greg Seiss helped ice the game when he hit Jon Hill from 39 yards out and a 27-0 Warsaw lead.
"They had a good game plan and caused us some problems in the first half," Jensen said. "We were fortunate to get some breaks, and we took advantage of them."
The Tigers preserved the shutout late in the contest when the Warsaw defense, made up mainly of backups, stopped the Vikes' Anthony Simpson on a fourth-down play from the Warsaw 5-yard line.
"The defense worked real hard and made some big plays in the first half to keep us in the ball game," Jensen said. "That is one of those things that pulls you together as a team. The kids who had been standing the whole game came in and decided the shutout."
Warsaw's offense outgained Valley 391 to 245 with 281 of Warsaw's yards coming through the air.
"Warsaw flat-out kicked our butts," Bibler said. "That is all there is to it, no excuses. Warsaw is not a great team, tonight they were, and we were very, very poor. Phil (Jensen) knows he has a long way to go with that group. They are building and getting better each week.
"Last week, our kids didn't fold, and they battled," he said. "Tonight, I feel like we gave up, not everybody. I feel we didn't play hard the whole time. In the first half, we were containing them defensive-wise from running the ball. They had to go to the air. In the second half, they did not have to. That is not any kind of change. That is just pride, people getting after it and pride."
Valley tried to give its offense a boost in the second half when Bibler traded sophomore quarterbacks with Brandon Eaton taking Hutchinson's place. Eaton fared well with 8 of 14 passing for 82 yards, but the Vikings couldn't overcome the Tiger lead.
It was a game that was going to make or break one of these two teams' seasons or at least put an incredible damper on the loser. Both teams entered the contest 0-1 after opening-game losses.
Now, it is Valley searching for the answers, and Warsaw celebrating its first win of the season.
"We are going to have gut-check time this week," Bibler said. "We are going to find out what is going to go on with these guys. We have a lot to look at, and it isn't on the positive side. It is what we have to do to get better.
"I am walking away from this game a lot mad and very disappointed," he said. "We are not going to rewrite everything this week, but we have to get better at what we are trying to get done."
Jason Barrett and Riley both picked up the defense with interceptions against Hutchinson in the first half. It was Warsaw's first shutout since 1995 when it blanked Goshen 17-0.
Both teams will open their conference schedules next with Valley (0-2) at Manchester and Warsaw (1-1) hosting Plymouth. [[In-content Ad]]