Warsaw Snaps Losing Streak

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.


GOSHEN - The emotion on the sideline was different this time for Warsaw's varsity football team.

Coach Phil Jensen was all smiles. The Tigers high-fived each other and sang the school song with their helmets raised to the sky. And Warsaw's fans had reason to cheer.[[In-content Ad]]For the Goshen Redskins, their frustating season continued, as they ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards for a touchdown, led 14-7 at halftime and tied the game at 21-all in the fourth quarter only to lose 28-21 to the visiting Tigers.

"I'm so proud of them," Jensen said of his players. "I'm just so happy for them. They came out and played with heart tonight, and I'm so proud of them."

In spoiling the Redskins' homecoming - the very thing Northridge did to Warsaw last week - the Tigers outscored Goshen 21-7 in the second half.

"I don't know how many times we're gonna lose a game in the fourth quarter," said Goshen coach David Wilson, whose team has lost the last four games after leading or being tied in the fourth quarter. "It's very frustrating. Hats off to Warsaw, they came out and pounded us in the second half."

After winning their season openers, both Warsaw and Goshen entered Friday's Northern Lakes Conference clash with four-game losing streaks.

With two rushing touchdowns each from senior running back Andy Conrad and senior quarterabck Justin Clemens, the Tigers improved to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the NLC.

Goshen fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the NLC.

"We overcame adversity tonight," said Jensen. "That was great to see. They ran the opening kickoff back, we lost a fumble, and then had a big penalty late in the game. The difference this week was we were able to overcome that adversity. The kids didn't quit. I'm so proud of them. They showed the heart they have inside of them. They showed the love they have inside them. They showed a passion for the game."

In three previous conference games - losses to Plymouth, Elkhart Memorial and Northridge - the Tigers scored a total of 21 points.

At Goshen Friday night, Warsaw's 28 points were the most it has scored in any game this season.

"We got our feet under us tonight," said Jensen. "I told the kids we have to carry this emotion over to practice Monday. We're getting a lot better, now we have to carry this into the rest of the season."

After Goshen's Francisco Garcia returned the opening kick 80 yards for a touchdown, the Tigers tied the game when Conrad raced in from 12 yards out and senior Matt Franco's extra-point kick made it 7-7 with 49 second to play in the first quarter.

Quarterback Carson Roberts put the Redskins back on top with a 1-yard run with 6:36 to play in the second quarter, and Goshen held that lead until midway through the third quarter.

With 6:34 to play in the third quarter, Conrad scored his second touchdown of the game, racing in from 11 yards out. Franco's kick tied the game at 14-14.

Clemens scored the first of his two touchdowns in the third quarter, powering his way in from 17 yards out, and Franco's kick put the Tigers up 21-14 with 3:57 remaining in the frame.

The host Redskins tied the game with a 5-yard touchdown run from Chunie Pung and an extra-point kick from Miguel Sandoval with 9:06 remaining in the game, but a Clemens 1-yard touchdown run from Clemens with 3:22 accounted for the winning score.

Goshen was driving deep into Warsaw territory late in the fourth quarter, but an incomplete pass on 4th-and-5 on the Tiger 20-yard line allowed Warsaw to kneel on the ball and secure a win.

"The kids got a taste of it tonight," said Jensen. "Now we have to come back with this same passion next week."

The Tigers, who got a big special teams play of their own in th third quarter when Cody Bragg blocked a punt, host county and conference rival Friday at Fisher Field, a battle for the traveling 'W' Trophy.

Goshen travels to NLC foe Northridge Friday.

Conrad led Warsaw's ground game with 24 carries for 174 yards, while Clemens rushed 13 times for 19 yards and Tyler Adams carried eight times for 35 yards.

A week after a 10-of-32 performance, Clemens was an efficient 5 of 7 through the air for 66 yards.

The majority of his passes and yards went to senior Zack Linky, who made four catches for 52 yards.

In the last two games, all 10 of Linky's catches have been for first downs.

Lucas Denlinger caught the other pass from Clemens, a 14-yard gain for a first down in the second quarter.

Pung led Goshen's running attack with 16 carries for 68 yards, while Carson Roberts completed 9 of 23 passes for 134 yards.

Joey Diaz caught passes for 73 yards for the Redskins.

GOSHEN - The emotion on the sideline was different this time for Warsaw's varsity football team.

Coach Phil Jensen was all smiles. The Tigers high-fived each other and sang the school song with their helmets raised to the sky. And Warsaw's fans had reason to cheer.[[In-content Ad]]For the Goshen Redskins, their frustating season continued, as they ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards for a touchdown, led 14-7 at halftime and tied the game at 21-all in the fourth quarter only to lose 28-21 to the visiting Tigers.

"I'm so proud of them," Jensen said of his players. "I'm just so happy for them. They came out and played with heart tonight, and I'm so proud of them."

In spoiling the Redskins' homecoming - the very thing Northridge did to Warsaw last week - the Tigers outscored Goshen 21-7 in the second half.

"I don't know how many times we're gonna lose a game in the fourth quarter," said Goshen coach David Wilson, whose team has lost the last four games after leading or being tied in the fourth quarter. "It's very frustrating. Hats off to Warsaw, they came out and pounded us in the second half."

After winning their season openers, both Warsaw and Goshen entered Friday's Northern Lakes Conference clash with four-game losing streaks.

With two rushing touchdowns each from senior running back Andy Conrad and senior quarterabck Justin Clemens, the Tigers improved to 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the NLC.

Goshen fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in the NLC.

"We overcame adversity tonight," said Jensen. "That was great to see. They ran the opening kickoff back, we lost a fumble, and then had a big penalty late in the game. The difference this week was we were able to overcome that adversity. The kids didn't quit. I'm so proud of them. They showed the heart they have inside of them. They showed the love they have inside them. They showed a passion for the game."

In three previous conference games - losses to Plymouth, Elkhart Memorial and Northridge - the Tigers scored a total of 21 points.

At Goshen Friday night, Warsaw's 28 points were the most it has scored in any game this season.

"We got our feet under us tonight," said Jensen. "I told the kids we have to carry this emotion over to practice Monday. We're getting a lot better, now we have to carry this into the rest of the season."

After Goshen's Francisco Garcia returned the opening kick 80 yards for a touchdown, the Tigers tied the game when Conrad raced in from 12 yards out and senior Matt Franco's extra-point kick made it 7-7 with 49 second to play in the first quarter.

Quarterback Carson Roberts put the Redskins back on top with a 1-yard run with 6:36 to play in the second quarter, and Goshen held that lead until midway through the third quarter.

With 6:34 to play in the third quarter, Conrad scored his second touchdown of the game, racing in from 11 yards out. Franco's kick tied the game at 14-14.

Clemens scored the first of his two touchdowns in the third quarter, powering his way in from 17 yards out, and Franco's kick put the Tigers up 21-14 with 3:57 remaining in the frame.

The host Redskins tied the game with a 5-yard touchdown run from Chunie Pung and an extra-point kick from Miguel Sandoval with 9:06 remaining in the game, but a Clemens 1-yard touchdown run from Clemens with 3:22 accounted for the winning score.

Goshen was driving deep into Warsaw territory late in the fourth quarter, but an incomplete pass on 4th-and-5 on the Tiger 20-yard line allowed Warsaw to kneel on the ball and secure a win.

"The kids got a taste of it tonight," said Jensen. "Now we have to come back with this same passion next week."

The Tigers, who got a big special teams play of their own in th third quarter when Cody Bragg blocked a punt, host county and conference rival Friday at Fisher Field, a battle for the traveling 'W' Trophy.

Goshen travels to NLC foe Northridge Friday.

Conrad led Warsaw's ground game with 24 carries for 174 yards, while Clemens rushed 13 times for 19 yards and Tyler Adams carried eight times for 35 yards.

A week after a 10-of-32 performance, Clemens was an efficient 5 of 7 through the air for 66 yards.

The majority of his passes and yards went to senior Zack Linky, who made four catches for 52 yards.

In the last two games, all 10 of Linky's catches have been for first downs.

Lucas Denlinger caught the other pass from Clemens, a 14-yard gain for a first down in the second quarter.

Pung led Goshen's running attack with 16 carries for 68 yards, while Carson Roberts completed 9 of 23 passes for 134 yards.

Joey Diaz caught passes for 73 yards for the Redskins.
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