Warsaw Kickers Beat Homestead In Sectional Final
October 9, 2017 at 4:38 p.m.
Warsaw Kickers Beat Homestead In Sectional Final
By Mark [email protected]
The Tigers worked their way through the high-speed wind for a pair of first-half goals. Luis Cleto blasted a shot past Spartans goalkeeper Carson Stewart in the 16th minute that seemed to catch Stewart off-guard.
“It was very important (to get off to a fast start),” Tiger coach Frank Courtois said. “Once we got that first goal in, our guys said ‘OK, now we can play.’ We were a goal up playing against the wind, so the boys said ‘let’s step up, let’s play.’
“To get that first goal was very important. It broke the ice for us and I think that it broke their back. It was a nice shot by Luis. I think that he surprised their goalie with it.”
In the 36th minute, Blake Burns was knocked off his feet in the penalty box, and Eric Ocock converted the penalty kick for a two-goal advantage.
Holding a lead at halftime, Courtois said he told his team “we were down 2-0. They came out and kept playing in that second half. We kept that intensity and didn’t let them have any hope of getting back in the match.”
The Tigers reacted by playing shut-down defense, clearing any shot Homestead took. In the 66th minute Jorge Rico worked his way down the left side of the Homestead defense, and his shot found the net just inside the left post to put the game on ice.
Courtois saved his best praise for the grind-it-out defense that allowed one goal in three sectional matches, none in the last two.
“The kids worked hard to get where we are. I told them ‘in the postseason, you have to come ready to play. You win, you play on, you lose, you’re out.’ But the boys did that,” Warsaw coach Frank Courtois said.
“If you had told me before the game we would win 3-0, I wouldn’t have believed you after having watched them play Wednesday against (Fort Wayne) North Side. “
Warsaw (13-5-2) will take on third-ranked West Lafayette Harrison (16-1-2) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Kokomo Regional. MaxPreps has the Raiders ranked No. 9 nationally.
With a victory the Tigers would take on either Fort Wayne Northrop or No. 2 Hamilton Southeastern for the regional title at 7 p.m. Saturday.
WARSAW 3, HOMESTEAD 0
W 2 1 – 3
H 0 0 – 0
(Scoring)
W – Luis Cleto 18th minute
W – Eric Ocock (PK) 35th min.
W – Jorge Rico 66th min.
Records: Warsaw 13-5-2; Homestead 10-6-3
The Tigers worked their way through the high-speed wind for a pair of first-half goals. Luis Cleto blasted a shot past Spartans goalkeeper Carson Stewart in the 16th minute that seemed to catch Stewart off-guard.
“It was very important (to get off to a fast start),” Tiger coach Frank Courtois said. “Once we got that first goal in, our guys said ‘OK, now we can play.’ We were a goal up playing against the wind, so the boys said ‘let’s step up, let’s play.’
“To get that first goal was very important. It broke the ice for us and I think that it broke their back. It was a nice shot by Luis. I think that he surprised their goalie with it.”
In the 36th minute, Blake Burns was knocked off his feet in the penalty box, and Eric Ocock converted the penalty kick for a two-goal advantage.
Holding a lead at halftime, Courtois said he told his team “we were down 2-0. They came out and kept playing in that second half. We kept that intensity and didn’t let them have any hope of getting back in the match.”
The Tigers reacted by playing shut-down defense, clearing any shot Homestead took. In the 66th minute Jorge Rico worked his way down the left side of the Homestead defense, and his shot found the net just inside the left post to put the game on ice.
Courtois saved his best praise for the grind-it-out defense that allowed one goal in three sectional matches, none in the last two.
“The kids worked hard to get where we are. I told them ‘in the postseason, you have to come ready to play. You win, you play on, you lose, you’re out.’ But the boys did that,” Warsaw coach Frank Courtois said.
“If you had told me before the game we would win 3-0, I wouldn’t have believed you after having watched them play Wednesday against (Fort Wayne) North Side. “
Warsaw (13-5-2) will take on third-ranked West Lafayette Harrison (16-1-2) at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Kokomo Regional. MaxPreps has the Raiders ranked No. 9 nationally.
With a victory the Tigers would take on either Fort Wayne Northrop or No. 2 Hamilton Southeastern for the regional title at 7 p.m. Saturday.
WARSAW 3, HOMESTEAD 0
W 2 1 – 3
H 0 0 – 0
(Scoring)
W – Luis Cleto 18th minute
W – Eric Ocock (PK) 35th min.
W – Jorge Rico 66th min.
Records: Warsaw 13-5-2; Homestead 10-6-3
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092