Warsaw Retains Possession Of 'W' Trophy In Overtime Thriller
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Their respective communities a stone's throw away from each other, Warsaw and Wawasee's football teams were just as close Friday night.
In a battle of Northern Lakes Conference and Kosciusko County rivals, the Tigers and Warriors mirrored each other, going toe-to-toe before Warsaw escaped with a 17-16 win in overtime when Warrior junior Ben Champoux's extra-point attempt missed wide right.
"A 1-point loss in overtime, what else can you say, especially in a rivalry like this," Wawasee coach Joe Rietveld said. "This is a tough loss."
Deadlocked at 10 after four quarters, the host Warriors won the coin toss and elected to put Warsaw on offense first in the overtime session.
Though their running game struggled much of the contest, the Tigers scored on their first overtime play from the 10 when senior quarterback Ryan DeGeeter rolled to the right and trotted in. Junior Jeremy Sharp, who earlier in the game missed three field goals, added the kick to put the Tigers up 17-10.
Having moved the ball much more efficiently in the second half after trailing 10-0 at halftime, the Warrior offense quickly found itself facing a fourth-and-10 after sophomore signal caller Kory Lantz threw three straight incompletions. Their backs to the wall, one down remaining and 10 yards of pasture in front of them, the Warriors scored when Lantz hooked up with senior Grant Gibson for a touchdown pass.
With Champoux nearly perfect on the year, having not missed a field goal and converting on 10 of 12 extra-point attempts, Rietveld chose to kick and try his hand at a second overtime rather than go for the two-point conversion and the win.
The end result was a Warsaw celebration, with Wawasee's players falling to their knees in disbelief and defeat as Champoux's kick sailed wide right.
Said Rietveld of the decision to kick, "A lot of people were in on the input. We've made field goals. It's a snap, hold and a kick. He's usually automatic. We had one break down on defense. If we'd have gone to a second overtime, I thought we could have beat them."
The Tigers, who walked away with the coveted traveling "W" trophy for the seventh straight year, improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the NLC. Wawasee, which has topped Warsaw just nine times in 31 meetings, fell to 4-3 and 2-3.
"It didn't come down to one play," seventh-year Warsaw coach Phil Jensen said. "You can't pick one single play that won or lost the game. There's two communities that should be awful proud of about 130 kids. They played for the "W" trophy and they played their guts out. They played hard for their coaches and each other. Give my kids credit, but give credit to Wawasee and Coach Rietveld. They're gonna go a long way in the playoffs."
On a night the wind gusts reached an estimated 30 mph, both the Warriors and Tigers blew numerous opportunities. Warsaw finished the game with five turnovers - two interceptions and three fumbles - while Wawasee coughed up the ball four times and was picked off twice.
Much the way they did last week against unbeaten Goshen, the Tigers jumped out to a 10-0 lead over Wawasee Friday night, scoring on a 2-yard Ben Kreinbrink run with 2:02 remaining in the half. and then a Sharp field goal with 6 seconds left in the second stanza.
Struggling to find running room in the first half, the Tigers were able to move the ball through the air, as senior Michael Thallemer caught seven DeGeeter passes for 184 yards. He finished the contest with nine receptions for 203 yards, just 17 yards - or one reception at his average - away from Ron Davis' school record set in 1987. Thallemer also picked off two errant Lantz passes.
DeGeeter easily topped the 1,000-yard passing plateau for the season as he finished the game 13 of 31 with 250 yards.
"I told the kids I'm so proud of them," Jensen said. "This is one special moment they can carry with them a long way. They played a quality opponent tonight."
A team that Warsaw outscored 215-61 the past six meetings, the Warriors refused to stay down, coming to life in the second half with the play of sophomores Jordan Swain and Lantz.
After a 17-yard Champaux field goal cut Warsaw's lead to 10-3 with 5:18 left in the third, Swain scored on a 45-yard shovel pass from Lantz. Champaux's extra-point kick knotted the game with 2:18 remaining in regulation.
After receiving the kickoff and starting at its 20, Warsaw was forced into a three-and-out, but got the ball right back when Swain fumbled the ball away on Wawasee's next offensive play.
DeGeeter then threw three straight incomplete passes, turning the ball over to Wawasee with 35 seconds remaining after a 31-yard punt. Lantz ran the ball for one yard, as the Warriors opted to take their chances in overtime.
The Warriors had a chance to win last week's game at Plymouth as well, finding themselves first-and-goal from the 7 late in the game only to throw four straight incomplete passes. The Warriors' three losses this season have come by a combined 10 points.
Lantz finished the game 15 of 39 through the air for 179 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground he racked up 47 yards on 20 carries. Swain rushed for 58 yards on 15 carries.
Swain also led the Warrior receivers with six receptions for 86 yards, while James Stucky had four for 41, Grant Gibson two for 21 and Drew Evans two for 19.
"I'm happy for Joe (Rietveld)," Jensen said. "They got a big program win over NorthWood a couple weeks ago, and they almost got another one tonight."
Warsaw travels to NorthWood next Friday, while Wawasee is at Elkhart Memorial.
WARSAW 17
WAWASEE 16 OT
Warsaw 0 10 0 0 7 - 17
Wawasee 0 0 3 7 6 - 16
WAR WAWA
First downs 11 11
Rushing yards 106 105
Passing yards 250 179
Comp.-Att.-Int. 13-31-2 15-39-2
Total offense 356 284
Fumbles/lost 3/3 5/4
Punts/avg. 6-33 7-26
Penalties/yards 2-18 2-20
Scoring
Second Quarter
WAR - Ben Kreinbrink 2 run (Jeremy Sharp kick) 7-0, 2:02
WAR - Sharp 32 field goal 10-0, :06
Third Quarter
WAWA - Ben Champaux 17 field goal 10-3, 5:18
Fourth Quarter
WAWA - Kory Lantz 45 pass to Jordan Swain (Champaux kick) 10-10, 2:18
Overtime
WAR - Ryan DeGeeter 10 run (Sharp kick) 17-10
WAWA - Lantz 10 pass to Grant Gibson, (kick failed) 17-16
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Kreinbrink 16-38, DeGeeter 10-62, Ryan Hamilton 2-4, Thomas Balestri 2-1, Nate Miller 1-1; Wawasee, Lantz 20-47, Swain 15-58
Passing - Warsaw, DeGeeter 13-31-250, 2 INT; Wawasee, Lantz 15-39-179, 2 INT, 2 TD
Receiving - Warsaw, Michael Thallemer 9-203, Miller 2-3, Adam Griggs 1-37, Balestri 1-7; Wawasee, Swain 6-86, James Stucky 4-41, Drew Evans 2-19, Gibson 2-21, Ryan Kauchak 1-12 [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Their respective communities a stone's throw away from each other, Warsaw and Wawasee's football teams were just as close Friday night.
In a battle of Northern Lakes Conference and Kosciusko County rivals, the Tigers and Warriors mirrored each other, going toe-to-toe before Warsaw escaped with a 17-16 win in overtime when Warrior junior Ben Champoux's extra-point attempt missed wide right.
"A 1-point loss in overtime, what else can you say, especially in a rivalry like this," Wawasee coach Joe Rietveld said. "This is a tough loss."
Deadlocked at 10 after four quarters, the host Warriors won the coin toss and elected to put Warsaw on offense first in the overtime session.
Though their running game struggled much of the contest, the Tigers scored on their first overtime play from the 10 when senior quarterback Ryan DeGeeter rolled to the right and trotted in. Junior Jeremy Sharp, who earlier in the game missed three field goals, added the kick to put the Tigers up 17-10.
Having moved the ball much more efficiently in the second half after trailing 10-0 at halftime, the Warrior offense quickly found itself facing a fourth-and-10 after sophomore signal caller Kory Lantz threw three straight incompletions. Their backs to the wall, one down remaining and 10 yards of pasture in front of them, the Warriors scored when Lantz hooked up with senior Grant Gibson for a touchdown pass.
With Champoux nearly perfect on the year, having not missed a field goal and converting on 10 of 12 extra-point attempts, Rietveld chose to kick and try his hand at a second overtime rather than go for the two-point conversion and the win.
The end result was a Warsaw celebration, with Wawasee's players falling to their knees in disbelief and defeat as Champoux's kick sailed wide right.
Said Rietveld of the decision to kick, "A lot of people were in on the input. We've made field goals. It's a snap, hold and a kick. He's usually automatic. We had one break down on defense. If we'd have gone to a second overtime, I thought we could have beat them."
The Tigers, who walked away with the coveted traveling "W" trophy for the seventh straight year, improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the NLC. Wawasee, which has topped Warsaw just nine times in 31 meetings, fell to 4-3 and 2-3.
"It didn't come down to one play," seventh-year Warsaw coach Phil Jensen said. "You can't pick one single play that won or lost the game. There's two communities that should be awful proud of about 130 kids. They played for the "W" trophy and they played their guts out. They played hard for their coaches and each other. Give my kids credit, but give credit to Wawasee and Coach Rietveld. They're gonna go a long way in the playoffs."
On a night the wind gusts reached an estimated 30 mph, both the Warriors and Tigers blew numerous opportunities. Warsaw finished the game with five turnovers - two interceptions and three fumbles - while Wawasee coughed up the ball four times and was picked off twice.
Much the way they did last week against unbeaten Goshen, the Tigers jumped out to a 10-0 lead over Wawasee Friday night, scoring on a 2-yard Ben Kreinbrink run with 2:02 remaining in the half. and then a Sharp field goal with 6 seconds left in the second stanza.
Struggling to find running room in the first half, the Tigers were able to move the ball through the air, as senior Michael Thallemer caught seven DeGeeter passes for 184 yards. He finished the contest with nine receptions for 203 yards, just 17 yards - or one reception at his average - away from Ron Davis' school record set in 1987. Thallemer also picked off two errant Lantz passes.
DeGeeter easily topped the 1,000-yard passing plateau for the season as he finished the game 13 of 31 with 250 yards.
"I told the kids I'm so proud of them," Jensen said. "This is one special moment they can carry with them a long way. They played a quality opponent tonight."
A team that Warsaw outscored 215-61 the past six meetings, the Warriors refused to stay down, coming to life in the second half with the play of sophomores Jordan Swain and Lantz.
After a 17-yard Champaux field goal cut Warsaw's lead to 10-3 with 5:18 left in the third, Swain scored on a 45-yard shovel pass from Lantz. Champaux's extra-point kick knotted the game with 2:18 remaining in regulation.
After receiving the kickoff and starting at its 20, Warsaw was forced into a three-and-out, but got the ball right back when Swain fumbled the ball away on Wawasee's next offensive play.
DeGeeter then threw three straight incomplete passes, turning the ball over to Wawasee with 35 seconds remaining after a 31-yard punt. Lantz ran the ball for one yard, as the Warriors opted to take their chances in overtime.
The Warriors had a chance to win last week's game at Plymouth as well, finding themselves first-and-goal from the 7 late in the game only to throw four straight incomplete passes. The Warriors' three losses this season have come by a combined 10 points.
Lantz finished the game 15 of 39 through the air for 179 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground he racked up 47 yards on 20 carries. Swain rushed for 58 yards on 15 carries.
Swain also led the Warrior receivers with six receptions for 86 yards, while James Stucky had four for 41, Grant Gibson two for 21 and Drew Evans two for 19.
"I'm happy for Joe (Rietveld)," Jensen said. "They got a big program win over NorthWood a couple weeks ago, and they almost got another one tonight."
Warsaw travels to NorthWood next Friday, while Wawasee is at Elkhart Memorial.
WARSAW 17
WAWASEE 16 OT
Warsaw 0 10 0 0 7 - 17
Wawasee 0 0 3 7 6 - 16
WAR WAWA
First downs 11 11
Rushing yards 106 105
Passing yards 250 179
Comp.-Att.-Int. 13-31-2 15-39-2
Total offense 356 284
Fumbles/lost 3/3 5/4
Punts/avg. 6-33 7-26
Penalties/yards 2-18 2-20
Scoring
Second Quarter
WAR - Ben Kreinbrink 2 run (Jeremy Sharp kick) 7-0, 2:02
WAR - Sharp 32 field goal 10-0, :06
Third Quarter
WAWA - Ben Champaux 17 field goal 10-3, 5:18
Fourth Quarter
WAWA - Kory Lantz 45 pass to Jordan Swain (Champaux kick) 10-10, 2:18
Overtime
WAR - Ryan DeGeeter 10 run (Sharp kick) 17-10
WAWA - Lantz 10 pass to Grant Gibson, (kick failed) 17-16
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Kreinbrink 16-38, DeGeeter 10-62, Ryan Hamilton 2-4, Thomas Balestri 2-1, Nate Miller 1-1; Wawasee, Lantz 20-47, Swain 15-58
Passing - Warsaw, DeGeeter 13-31-250, 2 INT; Wawasee, Lantz 15-39-179, 2 INT, 2 TD
Receiving - Warsaw, Michael Thallemer 9-203, Miller 2-3, Adam Griggs 1-37, Balestri 1-7; Wawasee, Swain 6-86, James Stucky 4-41, Drew Evans 2-19, Gibson 2-21, Ryan Kauchak 1-12 [[In-content Ad]]