Tigers Honor Seniors, Pick Up Blowout Win Over Goshen
October 8, 2022 at 3:29 a.m.
Tigers Honor Seniors, Pick Up Blowout Win Over Goshen
By Chip Davenport-
The minutes passed even more quickly on the gridiron as well. The IHSAA Mercy Rule running clock activated at the start of the second half with Warsaw carrying a 36-0 lead at intermission finishing with a 43-7 win over the Goshen RedHawks.
Warsaw honored the following seniors last night: German Flores-Ortega ,Trey Koontz, Tucker Curtis, Nick Katris, Theo Katris, Ian Nichols, Jaxson Cooper Walters, Bryson Brown, Haydin Rodriguez, Morgan Johnson, Grant Cook, Noah Knepp, Broc Fraley, Kyle Schnackenberg, Ashton Chilcutt, Bryce Duncan, Dimitri Chandler, Thomas Boggs, Russ Winchester, Jack Murrell and four-year manager Sarah Estepp.
“It's a big deal to come out and play in front of a great crowd,” Tiger head coach Bart Curtis remarked. “The chance to play on Fisher Field is an honor. I’m proud of our seniors tonight.”
Theo Katris, one of the evening’s honorees, started the first half scoring barrage with a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown with 9:48 on the opening period clock.
Haydin Rodriguez, another honoree, added the Tigers’ second score with a 28-yard run down the left sideline on a pitch from sophomore signal caller Drew Sullivan.
Reed Zollinger, a junior who earned the nod as starter at B-back last night, added two more touchdown runs – in contrasting fashion - in a span of less than two minutes. Zollinger plunged from the one-yard line for his first TD, then broke through Goshen’s front seven for a 43-yard TD rumble with 10:12 remaining in the second stanza.
Sullivan’s 6-yard TD run with 7:44 remaining in the first half, and a solid performance by the Tiger defense assured the Tigers would have a running clock the entire second half enroute to their 43-7 win.
Sullivan’s score was set up with his well-timed 44-yard pass to senior split end Jack Murrell.
Warsaw used three additional field marshals - Grady Nolin, Daylor Vilamaa, and Quinton Brock to seal the win.
Goshen sophomore quarterback Elliot Frey – not to be outdone by his Tiger sophomore QB counterpart - broke Goshen’s schneid against Warsaw’s defense on a 6-yard score with 3:28 showing in the third quarter.
A.J. Smith, a junior who takes most of his game reps in Warsaw’s junior varsity defensive backfield, wowed the pink-out student section with a 51-yard TD sprint off a textbook option pitch from freshman QB Quinton Brock with 4:28 left in the final quarter to cap the evening’s scoring.
Lucas Ransbottom, a junior who has spelled multiple Tiger defensive backs since midseason, snared his first varsity interception two weeks ago in Warsaw’s 43-19 loss to Mishawaka, but likely found last night’s interception against the RedHawks much sweeter with the win to boot.
Corbin Johnston (junior), and Cohen Heady (sophomore) turned in solid performances for the Tiger defense at linebacker. Layton Isbell, another Tiger junior, blended hard-hitting run and special teams coverage with skillful pass coverage int eh defensive backfield.
The night still afforded Tiger fans a chance to see some of other seniors shine, too.
Two seniors who did not begin their senior season as starters, defensive end Jaxson Cooper Walters and Morgan Johnson, stepped up with strong defensive performances to aide another solid outing by linebacker Nick Katris.
Goshen, riddled with injuries, is not fielding a JV team in the final stretch of the season. Warsaw, on the other hand, found an alternate opponent slated for Monday night’s JV contest, the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings.
Warsaw’s proactive approach to avoid losing game reps at sub-varsity level has prepared numerous underclassmen in this game and in earlier games to step up and succeed in the varsity spotlight. While Friday was a night for the seniors, it was also a night to appreciate the Tiger program at each level.
“You gotta develop (them),” Curtis noted. “We're fortunate that we've got some depth when injuries happen. Those (sub-varsity) games are important. We’re excited to host Valley Monday night.”
Warsaw (215 rush yds., 44 pass yds.) outgained Goshen (93 rush yds., 32 pass yds.) 259-125.
Frey led the way for Goshen’s offense throwing for 32 yard and adding 58 yards on the ground.
The Tiger offense was led by Zollinger’s 63 rushing yards among 10 other Warsaw ballcarriers last night.
Warsaw, 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference (NLC), travels to Interra Field at Northridge Friday for their final regular season contest. A win secures the Tigers sole possession of third place.
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The minutes passed even more quickly on the gridiron as well. The IHSAA Mercy Rule running clock activated at the start of the second half with Warsaw carrying a 36-0 lead at intermission finishing with a 43-7 win over the Goshen RedHawks.
Warsaw honored the following seniors last night: German Flores-Ortega ,Trey Koontz, Tucker Curtis, Nick Katris, Theo Katris, Ian Nichols, Jaxson Cooper Walters, Bryson Brown, Haydin Rodriguez, Morgan Johnson, Grant Cook, Noah Knepp, Broc Fraley, Kyle Schnackenberg, Ashton Chilcutt, Bryce Duncan, Dimitri Chandler, Thomas Boggs, Russ Winchester, Jack Murrell and four-year manager Sarah Estepp.
“It's a big deal to come out and play in front of a great crowd,” Tiger head coach Bart Curtis remarked. “The chance to play on Fisher Field is an honor. I’m proud of our seniors tonight.”
Theo Katris, one of the evening’s honorees, started the first half scoring barrage with a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown with 9:48 on the opening period clock.
Haydin Rodriguez, another honoree, added the Tigers’ second score with a 28-yard run down the left sideline on a pitch from sophomore signal caller Drew Sullivan.
Reed Zollinger, a junior who earned the nod as starter at B-back last night, added two more touchdown runs – in contrasting fashion - in a span of less than two minutes. Zollinger plunged from the one-yard line for his first TD, then broke through Goshen’s front seven for a 43-yard TD rumble with 10:12 remaining in the second stanza.
Sullivan’s 6-yard TD run with 7:44 remaining in the first half, and a solid performance by the Tiger defense assured the Tigers would have a running clock the entire second half enroute to their 43-7 win.
Sullivan’s score was set up with his well-timed 44-yard pass to senior split end Jack Murrell.
Warsaw used three additional field marshals - Grady Nolin, Daylor Vilamaa, and Quinton Brock to seal the win.
Goshen sophomore quarterback Elliot Frey – not to be outdone by his Tiger sophomore QB counterpart - broke Goshen’s schneid against Warsaw’s defense on a 6-yard score with 3:28 showing in the third quarter.
A.J. Smith, a junior who takes most of his game reps in Warsaw’s junior varsity defensive backfield, wowed the pink-out student section with a 51-yard TD sprint off a textbook option pitch from freshman QB Quinton Brock with 4:28 left in the final quarter to cap the evening’s scoring.
Lucas Ransbottom, a junior who has spelled multiple Tiger defensive backs since midseason, snared his first varsity interception two weeks ago in Warsaw’s 43-19 loss to Mishawaka, but likely found last night’s interception against the RedHawks much sweeter with the win to boot.
Corbin Johnston (junior), and Cohen Heady (sophomore) turned in solid performances for the Tiger defense at linebacker. Layton Isbell, another Tiger junior, blended hard-hitting run and special teams coverage with skillful pass coverage int eh defensive backfield.
The night still afforded Tiger fans a chance to see some of other seniors shine, too.
Two seniors who did not begin their senior season as starters, defensive end Jaxson Cooper Walters and Morgan Johnson, stepped up with strong defensive performances to aide another solid outing by linebacker Nick Katris.
Goshen, riddled with injuries, is not fielding a JV team in the final stretch of the season. Warsaw, on the other hand, found an alternate opponent slated for Monday night’s JV contest, the Tippecanoe Valley Vikings.
Warsaw’s proactive approach to avoid losing game reps at sub-varsity level has prepared numerous underclassmen in this game and in earlier games to step up and succeed in the varsity spotlight. While Friday was a night for the seniors, it was also a night to appreciate the Tiger program at each level.
“You gotta develop (them),” Curtis noted. “We're fortunate that we've got some depth when injuries happen. Those (sub-varsity) games are important. We’re excited to host Valley Monday night.”
Warsaw (215 rush yds., 44 pass yds.) outgained Goshen (93 rush yds., 32 pass yds.) 259-125.
Frey led the way for Goshen’s offense throwing for 32 yard and adding 58 yards on the ground.
The Tiger offense was led by Zollinger’s 63 rushing yards among 10 other Warsaw ballcarriers last night.
Warsaw, 6-2 overall and 4-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference (NLC), travels to Interra Field at Northridge Friday for their final regular season contest. A win secures the Tigers sole possession of third place.
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