Warsaw's Perfect Season Ends With 42-28 Loss
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The fans at the Warsaw-NorthWood football game got their money's worth Friday night at Fisher Field as the 7-0 Tigers squared off against the 6-1 Panthers. But in the end, it was the Tigers who paid the price.
"This was a good football game between two good football teams, especially from a fan's point of view," said NorthWood coach Rich Dodson. "This was an exciting matchup even for the coaches."
NorthWood handed the Tigers their first loss of the season 42-28, but more importantly their first Northern Lakes Conference loss this year. If both teams win against their conference opponents next week, they will share the conference crown.
"This was a big game," said Dodson. "We wanted at least a part of the conference title, and now there's a possibility that we will share it with Warsaw. It all depends on what happens next week."
"We still have a chance at the conference title," said Warsaw coach Phil Jensen. "There's no shame in sharing the conference, especially with a championship team like NorthWood."
Although the game featured two of the state's top quarterbacks in Greg Seiss and Charlie Roeder, it was not the air show that was expected earlier in the week. Due to rain and wet conditions on the field, the Tigers and Panthers focused much of their energy on the run game.
Warsaw scored the first touchdown of the game to take an early 7-0 lead. The Tigers moved the ball 80 yards in 12 plays on a drive that was capped by a 3-yard Brad Seiss touchdown run.
The Panthers answered with a five-minute, 73-yard drive of their own that resulted in a 1-yard Chaz Scherer touchdown run. With 2:32 left in the first quarter, the scored was knotted at seven.
After Warsaw went three-and-out on its second drive, NorthWood took the ball on its own 41-yard line. The Panthers moved down the field again and scored on a 1-yard run by Jason Brennaman.
The NorthWood squad held a 14-7 lead for just over three minutes as Mike Moore broke free and ran 41 yards for Warsaw's second touchdown of the game to tie the score at 14.
NorthWood got the ball back with 7:18 left in the second quarter on its own 12-yard line. After moving the ball to Warsaw's 48-yard line, the Tiger defense stopped Scherer at the line of scrimmage, and NorthWood was in a second down and 10 situation. Brock Doty caught a 48-yard Roeder pass and ran into the end zone uncontested after his defender, Ross Kesler, collided with an official on the play.
NorthWood took a 21-14 lead into the locker room at the half.
Warsaw came out to play in the second half as the Tiger defense forced NorthWood to go three-and-out in its first series of the second half. The Tiger offense then capitalized on the opportunity and moved the ball 86 yards for another touchdown. Warsaw tried to take over the lead with a two-point conversion, but NorthWood stopped the run. The score stood at 21-20 in NorthWood's favor with 6:02 left in the third.
NorthWood fumbled on its next two drives, but Warsaw could not take advantage of the Panther mishaps and gave up interceptions on the plays that followed the fumbles.
Warsaw then stepped up offensively and scored a touchdown with 8:07 in the final quarter of play to tie the score at 28.
However, the tie would last only 17 seconds as NorthWood's Scherer returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to restore the Panther seven-point lead, 35-28.
"Obviously in a big game like this, there are a lot of big plays," said Dodson. "Chaz Scherer made some big plays. His kickoff return for the touchdown was definitely a turning point of the game. I'm sure glad he's on our side. He's really played some good football the last couple of weeks."
The NorthWood defense held Warsaw scoreless for the remaining 7:50 while the Panthers scored once more on a 3-yard Scherer run to seal a 42-28 victory.
"Tonight the better team won," said Jensen. "But I want to stress the tonight."
The Warsaw Tigers, now 6-1 and 4-1 in the NLC, will travel to Concord next week to try to keep their dreams of a conference championship alive. The Panthers (6-1, 4-1 NLC) will host Plymouth and try to do the same.
"I am very proud of this team, and no matter what happens, that will never change," said Jensen. "These kids have done everything we have asked of them from day one. The hard work and dedication they have shown has been great."
NORTHWOOD 42, WARSAW 28
NorthWood 7 14 7 14 - 42
Warsaw 7 7 6 8 - 28
W NW
First downs 18 15
Rushes-yards 49-264 29-186
Passing 103 162
Comp.-Att.-Int. 7-18-3 9-19-0
Total offense 367 348
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Punts-ave. 3-36.0 4-46.0
Penalties-yards 9-115 7-46
First Quarter
7:30 -ÊBrad Seiss 3 run (Gabe Koser kick), 7-0 W
2:30 -ÊChaz Scherer 1 run (Andy Mitschelen kick) 7-7
Second Quarter
10:53 -ÊJason Brennaman 1 run (Mitschelen kick), 14-7 NW
7:23 -ÊMike Moore 41 run (Koser kick), 14-14
4:35 -ÊBrock Doty 48 pass from Charlie Roeder (Mitschelen kick), 21-14 NW
Third Quarter
6:02 -ÊGreg Seiss 12 run (run failed), 21-20 NW
2:38 -ÊNick Juday 16 pass from Roeder (Mitschelen kick), 28-20 NW
Fourth Quarter
8:07 -ÊMoore 6 run (Seiss to Koser), 28-28
7:50 -ÊScherer 96 kickoff return (Mitschelen kick), 35-28 NW
2:05 -ÊScherer 3 run (Mitschelen kick), 42-28 NW
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Warsaw: Brad Seiss 26-108, Mike Moore 11-89, Greg Seiss 9-65; NorthWood: Charlie Roeder 9-112, Jason Brennaman 7-27; Chaz Scherer 13-47.
Receiving - Warsaw: Ross Kesler 3-61, Zach Nelson 3-39; NorthWood: Scherer 3-65, Brock Doty 2-56, Nick Juday 2-32.
Passing - Warsaw: G. Seiss 7-17-103, 0 TD, 3 INT; NorthWood: Roeder 9-19-162, 2TD, 0 INT. [[In-content Ad]]
The fans at the Warsaw-NorthWood football game got their money's worth Friday night at Fisher Field as the 7-0 Tigers squared off against the 6-1 Panthers. But in the end, it was the Tigers who paid the price.
"This was a good football game between two good football teams, especially from a fan's point of view," said NorthWood coach Rich Dodson. "This was an exciting matchup even for the coaches."
NorthWood handed the Tigers their first loss of the season 42-28, but more importantly their first Northern Lakes Conference loss this year. If both teams win against their conference opponents next week, they will share the conference crown.
"This was a big game," said Dodson. "We wanted at least a part of the conference title, and now there's a possibility that we will share it with Warsaw. It all depends on what happens next week."
"We still have a chance at the conference title," said Warsaw coach Phil Jensen. "There's no shame in sharing the conference, especially with a championship team like NorthWood."
Although the game featured two of the state's top quarterbacks in Greg Seiss and Charlie Roeder, it was not the air show that was expected earlier in the week. Due to rain and wet conditions on the field, the Tigers and Panthers focused much of their energy on the run game.
Warsaw scored the first touchdown of the game to take an early 7-0 lead. The Tigers moved the ball 80 yards in 12 plays on a drive that was capped by a 3-yard Brad Seiss touchdown run.
The Panthers answered with a five-minute, 73-yard drive of their own that resulted in a 1-yard Chaz Scherer touchdown run. With 2:32 left in the first quarter, the scored was knotted at seven.
After Warsaw went three-and-out on its second drive, NorthWood took the ball on its own 41-yard line. The Panthers moved down the field again and scored on a 1-yard run by Jason Brennaman.
The NorthWood squad held a 14-7 lead for just over three minutes as Mike Moore broke free and ran 41 yards for Warsaw's second touchdown of the game to tie the score at 14.
NorthWood got the ball back with 7:18 left in the second quarter on its own 12-yard line. After moving the ball to Warsaw's 48-yard line, the Tiger defense stopped Scherer at the line of scrimmage, and NorthWood was in a second down and 10 situation. Brock Doty caught a 48-yard Roeder pass and ran into the end zone uncontested after his defender, Ross Kesler, collided with an official on the play.
NorthWood took a 21-14 lead into the locker room at the half.
Warsaw came out to play in the second half as the Tiger defense forced NorthWood to go three-and-out in its first series of the second half. The Tiger offense then capitalized on the opportunity and moved the ball 86 yards for another touchdown. Warsaw tried to take over the lead with a two-point conversion, but NorthWood stopped the run. The score stood at 21-20 in NorthWood's favor with 6:02 left in the third.
NorthWood fumbled on its next two drives, but Warsaw could not take advantage of the Panther mishaps and gave up interceptions on the plays that followed the fumbles.
Warsaw then stepped up offensively and scored a touchdown with 8:07 in the final quarter of play to tie the score at 28.
However, the tie would last only 17 seconds as NorthWood's Scherer returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to restore the Panther seven-point lead, 35-28.
"Obviously in a big game like this, there are a lot of big plays," said Dodson. "Chaz Scherer made some big plays. His kickoff return for the touchdown was definitely a turning point of the game. I'm sure glad he's on our side. He's really played some good football the last couple of weeks."
The NorthWood defense held Warsaw scoreless for the remaining 7:50 while the Panthers scored once more on a 3-yard Scherer run to seal a 42-28 victory.
"Tonight the better team won," said Jensen. "But I want to stress the tonight."
The Warsaw Tigers, now 6-1 and 4-1 in the NLC, will travel to Concord next week to try to keep their dreams of a conference championship alive. The Panthers (6-1, 4-1 NLC) will host Plymouth and try to do the same.
"I am very proud of this team, and no matter what happens, that will never change," said Jensen. "These kids have done everything we have asked of them from day one. The hard work and dedication they have shown has been great."
NORTHWOOD 42, WARSAW 28
NorthWood 7 14 7 14 - 42
Warsaw 7 7 6 8 - 28
W NW
First downs 18 15
Rushes-yards 49-264 29-186
Passing 103 162
Comp.-Att.-Int. 7-18-3 9-19-0
Total offense 367 348
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Punts-ave. 3-36.0 4-46.0
Penalties-yards 9-115 7-46
First Quarter
7:30 -ÊBrad Seiss 3 run (Gabe Koser kick), 7-0 W
2:30 -ÊChaz Scherer 1 run (Andy Mitschelen kick) 7-7
Second Quarter
10:53 -ÊJason Brennaman 1 run (Mitschelen kick), 14-7 NW
7:23 -ÊMike Moore 41 run (Koser kick), 14-14
4:35 -ÊBrock Doty 48 pass from Charlie Roeder (Mitschelen kick), 21-14 NW
Third Quarter
6:02 -ÊGreg Seiss 12 run (run failed), 21-20 NW
2:38 -ÊNick Juday 16 pass from Roeder (Mitschelen kick), 28-20 NW
Fourth Quarter
8:07 -ÊMoore 6 run (Seiss to Koser), 28-28
7:50 -ÊScherer 96 kickoff return (Mitschelen kick), 35-28 NW
2:05 -ÊScherer 3 run (Mitschelen kick), 42-28 NW
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing - Warsaw: Brad Seiss 26-108, Mike Moore 11-89, Greg Seiss 9-65; NorthWood: Charlie Roeder 9-112, Jason Brennaman 7-27; Chaz Scherer 13-47.
Receiving - Warsaw: Ross Kesler 3-61, Zach Nelson 3-39; NorthWood: Scherer 3-65, Brock Doty 2-56, Nick Juday 2-32.
Passing - Warsaw: G. Seiss 7-17-103, 0 TD, 3 INT; NorthWood: Roeder 9-19-162, 2TD, 0 INT. [[In-content Ad]]