Warsaw Wins Soccer Sectional
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
The latest occurred Saturday evening during Warsaw's 2-1 victory in the championship game of the boys soccer sectional at Argos High School, a contest that featured excitement, heartbreak and plenty of drama.[[In-content Ad]]The championship is Warsaw's seventh in eight years at Argos, and the 20th-ranked Tigers return to Argos Wednesday to face the Marion Giants in the regional. Warsaw will play Marion at 7 p.m., following the match between North Miami and Logansport at 5 p.m.
"This one was particularly important and enjoyable, because we didn't return a lot from last year," Warsaw coach Scott Bauer said. "We were younger and Plymouth was senior-laden. I asked the guys to rise to the challenge of playing against older kids, and have the same will and determination they do on the field. I thought Plymouth was a very determined side, and we had to match that."
Over the years, matches between Warsaw (11-4-4) and Plymouth (15-2-2) have featured plenty of fouls and yellow cards, and this one was no different.
When the final whistle blew, a total of 41 fouls had been called (26 on Warsaw) and five yellow cards, as well as one red, had been issued.
"A Plymouth/Warsaw match at sectionals is going to have a lot of physical contact," Bauer said. "It's going to be a physical match, and it's going to get heated. You have to have an official who understands what to let go and what to call. It got a little bit out of control there in the second half."
The boiling point hit when Warsaw junior Noah Price was issued a yellow card for holding with 12:52 to play and Warsaw in front 2-0.
The yellow card was Price's second of the match, having received one for verbiage earlier in the half. The two yellows mean the starting midfielder is ineligible for the match with Marion.
Following the holding yellow, Warsaw assistant coach Torrey Bauer got into a very animated conversation with the official, which eventually resulted in him being red carded, and having to be escorted off the field by Argos personnel.
"It got ugly at times," Plymouth coach Josh Martin said. "Some of the calls were questionable, both ways. Not just against us, but for us. It was pretty heated out there. Players, coaches and everybody. It would have been nice if it could have been a little more collegial, but that's how it happened. Both of these teams wanted that game really bad."
Price's yellow card for the hold was only one of two yellow cards distributed for physical play, as Plymouth's Sean McClellan and Clayton Bright were issued cards for verbal abuse, while Milton Castellano received one for driving an elbow into a Warsaw player.
"That cost us a player for our next match, because he got two yellows," Bauer said about the yellow card for holding on Price. "I didn't agree with the call, and I know we lost an assistant coach. But you'll have that in these kinds of moments. We want to be composed and we want our players to be composed, but sometimes, you're lacking."
Once the dust settled, the officials had to continue talking with the players on the field, speaking with Warsaw senior defender and captain Tony Climaco to get his troops calmed down.
With tensions high, Plymouth cut the Warsaw lead to 2-1 after senior Todd Vervynckt drew a foul inside the 18, resulting in a penalty kick with 11:19 to play.
"He was certainly a key to our preparation," Bauer said of Vervynckt. "We man-marked him the first match (which ended in a 1-1 tie at Warsaw). (Senior Ian) Crines had a concussion that match, and I told the guys, 'If you want Ian to play in this match, you've got to take away Vervynckt's time and space. He cannot get a touch on the ball and not have someone closing down. Because, the first time he gets us on our back foot, I have to think of something else.' The guys stepped up, but he had his touches. He's a wonderful player, but we made it difficult for him."
Warsaw did make it tough for Vervynckt to get touches, but he still got opportunities to make things happen.
"Warsaw had some really terrific defensive pressure," Martin said. "They chased the ball - they really cut out the passing lanes. They made it really hard for us to knock the ball around."
In the final minute, Plymouth took a corner kick, but Warsaw sophomore defender Lake Price succeeded in kicking the ball out. Plymouth then took a free kick with 19 seconds remaining, but a header went just high of the cross bar, giving the Tigers the title.
"We had some chances and we didn't capitalize," Martin said. "Now, we're out of here 2-1."
The late flurry was indeed a bit too late, as Warsaw put Plymouth down early when a perfectly curved corner kick from freshman Diego Lopez was netted by Crines, putting Warsaw on top 1-0 just eight minutes into the match.
"We felt like one of our strengths was our corner kicks and our sets, because we can throw a couple big bodies in there," Bauer said. "That paid off with the first goal."
Warsaw's next goal came with 27 minutes remaining in the match, when Diego assisted a goal to older brother, Corey Lopez, who took the ball from the left post to the right, past Plymouth senior goalkeeper Lucas Hill.
"That was a wonderful brother-to-brother connection," Bauer said. "Corey's been very good at those slip-headers, charging their post. He did what he's very good at, and that's scoring. Diego did what he's good at, and that's finding his brother and giving it to him."
The goal was Corey Lopez's 19th of the year and 47th point, putting him just one goal behind Jake Rogers' 20 in 2003, as well as one point behind Jesse Sharp's 48 in 2006.
Diego Lopez's assist tied him with Matt Franco's 10, set in 2008. Sharp holds Warsaw's single-season record for assists with 14, set in 2006, while Ryan Kolbe had 11 in 2003.
"After the second goal, we decided we were going to defend," Bauer said. "So, I pulled the striker with about 15 (minutes) to go, to make sure we could defend our two-goal lead. It didn't look real pretty, but we were doing what we had wanted to do."
Warsaw did hold on for the win, and Plymouth will now have to reload if they're going to continue competing with a Tiger team featuring two starting seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and a freshman.
"They're definitely a very talented squad," Martin said. "They're very well-coached, and we always know we're going to see them at the end of the year. We train all summer (saying), 'We have to get ready for Warsaw.' They're fast, they're athletic kids and the move the ball really well. They're tough all around."
And even though Warsaw has dispatched Plymouth from sectional play five of the six times they've met, Bauer has a lot of respect for the Rockies.
"If we didn't have Plymouth pushing us, I don't think we'd be as good as we are," he said.
"I think Plymouth fully expected to push their will on us, and take this from us," he added. "My guys were as resilient as they needed to be to say, 'No. We're going to hang in there and play against a squad that's older and more experienced.'"
WARSAW 2, PLYMOUTH 1
W - Ian Crines (Diego Lopez) 8th min.
W - Corey Lopez (D. Lopez) 53rd min.
P - Todd Vervynckt (penalty kick) 69th min.
Shots on Goal - Warsaw 7, Plymouth 4; Saves - Warsaw (David Johnson) 4, Plymouth (Lucas Hill) 4; Corner Kicks - Warsaw 7, Plymouth 6; Fouls (Yellow Card, Red Card*) - Warsaw 26 (Noah Price 2, Bench*), Plymouth 15; Offsides - Warsaw 0, Plymouth 0; Records: Warsaw 11-4-4, Plymouth 15-2-2
The latest occurred Saturday evening during Warsaw's 2-1 victory in the championship game of the boys soccer sectional at Argos High School, a contest that featured excitement, heartbreak and plenty of drama.[[In-content Ad]]The championship is Warsaw's seventh in eight years at Argos, and the 20th-ranked Tigers return to Argos Wednesday to face the Marion Giants in the regional. Warsaw will play Marion at 7 p.m., following the match between North Miami and Logansport at 5 p.m.
"This one was particularly important and enjoyable, because we didn't return a lot from last year," Warsaw coach Scott Bauer said. "We were younger and Plymouth was senior-laden. I asked the guys to rise to the challenge of playing against older kids, and have the same will and determination they do on the field. I thought Plymouth was a very determined side, and we had to match that."
Over the years, matches between Warsaw (11-4-4) and Plymouth (15-2-2) have featured plenty of fouls and yellow cards, and this one was no different.
When the final whistle blew, a total of 41 fouls had been called (26 on Warsaw) and five yellow cards, as well as one red, had been issued.
"A Plymouth/Warsaw match at sectionals is going to have a lot of physical contact," Bauer said. "It's going to be a physical match, and it's going to get heated. You have to have an official who understands what to let go and what to call. It got a little bit out of control there in the second half."
The boiling point hit when Warsaw junior Noah Price was issued a yellow card for holding with 12:52 to play and Warsaw in front 2-0.
The yellow card was Price's second of the match, having received one for verbiage earlier in the half. The two yellows mean the starting midfielder is ineligible for the match with Marion.
Following the holding yellow, Warsaw assistant coach Torrey Bauer got into a very animated conversation with the official, which eventually resulted in him being red carded, and having to be escorted off the field by Argos personnel.
"It got ugly at times," Plymouth coach Josh Martin said. "Some of the calls were questionable, both ways. Not just against us, but for us. It was pretty heated out there. Players, coaches and everybody. It would have been nice if it could have been a little more collegial, but that's how it happened. Both of these teams wanted that game really bad."
Price's yellow card for the hold was only one of two yellow cards distributed for physical play, as Plymouth's Sean McClellan and Clayton Bright were issued cards for verbal abuse, while Milton Castellano received one for driving an elbow into a Warsaw player.
"That cost us a player for our next match, because he got two yellows," Bauer said about the yellow card for holding on Price. "I didn't agree with the call, and I know we lost an assistant coach. But you'll have that in these kinds of moments. We want to be composed and we want our players to be composed, but sometimes, you're lacking."
Once the dust settled, the officials had to continue talking with the players on the field, speaking with Warsaw senior defender and captain Tony Climaco to get his troops calmed down.
With tensions high, Plymouth cut the Warsaw lead to 2-1 after senior Todd Vervynckt drew a foul inside the 18, resulting in a penalty kick with 11:19 to play.
"He was certainly a key to our preparation," Bauer said of Vervynckt. "We man-marked him the first match (which ended in a 1-1 tie at Warsaw). (Senior Ian) Crines had a concussion that match, and I told the guys, 'If you want Ian to play in this match, you've got to take away Vervynckt's time and space. He cannot get a touch on the ball and not have someone closing down. Because, the first time he gets us on our back foot, I have to think of something else.' The guys stepped up, but he had his touches. He's a wonderful player, but we made it difficult for him."
Warsaw did make it tough for Vervynckt to get touches, but he still got opportunities to make things happen.
"Warsaw had some really terrific defensive pressure," Martin said. "They chased the ball - they really cut out the passing lanes. They made it really hard for us to knock the ball around."
In the final minute, Plymouth took a corner kick, but Warsaw sophomore defender Lake Price succeeded in kicking the ball out. Plymouth then took a free kick with 19 seconds remaining, but a header went just high of the cross bar, giving the Tigers the title.
"We had some chances and we didn't capitalize," Martin said. "Now, we're out of here 2-1."
The late flurry was indeed a bit too late, as Warsaw put Plymouth down early when a perfectly curved corner kick from freshman Diego Lopez was netted by Crines, putting Warsaw on top 1-0 just eight minutes into the match.
"We felt like one of our strengths was our corner kicks and our sets, because we can throw a couple big bodies in there," Bauer said. "That paid off with the first goal."
Warsaw's next goal came with 27 minutes remaining in the match, when Diego assisted a goal to older brother, Corey Lopez, who took the ball from the left post to the right, past Plymouth senior goalkeeper Lucas Hill.
"That was a wonderful brother-to-brother connection," Bauer said. "Corey's been very good at those slip-headers, charging their post. He did what he's very good at, and that's scoring. Diego did what he's good at, and that's finding his brother and giving it to him."
The goal was Corey Lopez's 19th of the year and 47th point, putting him just one goal behind Jake Rogers' 20 in 2003, as well as one point behind Jesse Sharp's 48 in 2006.
Diego Lopez's assist tied him with Matt Franco's 10, set in 2008. Sharp holds Warsaw's single-season record for assists with 14, set in 2006, while Ryan Kolbe had 11 in 2003.
"After the second goal, we decided we were going to defend," Bauer said. "So, I pulled the striker with about 15 (minutes) to go, to make sure we could defend our two-goal lead. It didn't look real pretty, but we were doing what we had wanted to do."
Warsaw did hold on for the win, and Plymouth will now have to reload if they're going to continue competing with a Tiger team featuring two starting seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and a freshman.
"They're definitely a very talented squad," Martin said. "They're very well-coached, and we always know we're going to see them at the end of the year. We train all summer (saying), 'We have to get ready for Warsaw.' They're fast, they're athletic kids and the move the ball really well. They're tough all around."
And even though Warsaw has dispatched Plymouth from sectional play five of the six times they've met, Bauer has a lot of respect for the Rockies.
"If we didn't have Plymouth pushing us, I don't think we'd be as good as we are," he said.
"I think Plymouth fully expected to push their will on us, and take this from us," he added. "My guys were as resilient as they needed to be to say, 'No. We're going to hang in there and play against a squad that's older and more experienced.'"
WARSAW 2, PLYMOUTH 1
W - Ian Crines (Diego Lopez) 8th min.
W - Corey Lopez (D. Lopez) 53rd min.
P - Todd Vervynckt (penalty kick) 69th min.
Shots on Goal - Warsaw 7, Plymouth 4; Saves - Warsaw (David Johnson) 4, Plymouth (Lucas Hill) 4; Corner Kicks - Warsaw 7, Plymouth 6; Fouls (Yellow Card, Red Card*) - Warsaw 26 (Noah Price 2, Bench*), Plymouth 15; Offsides - Warsaw 0, Plymouth 0; Records: Warsaw 11-4-4, Plymouth 15-2-2
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