Three teams entered IHSAA 3A Boys Soccer Sectional 7 with 12 wins already this season, with two of the three facing off in the opening round on Monday night in the form of Warsaw taking on Columbia City. The Tigers showcased incredible poise and patient offense at Huntington North High School, coming away with a 3-1 win to advance to the semifinals.
The game’s opening minutes were highly competitive and evenly matched, with both teams enjoying a scoring chance in the match’s first 120 seconds. Based on this opening spurt of action, it looked like a hard nosed, gritty game was on its way.
But it didn’t last long.
After both teams had exchanged pleasantries in the first five minutes, a switch flipped on the Tiger side, leading to perhaps its most impressive half of soccer this season. Everything that could work for Warsaw did. The Tigers were able to dominate possession so thoroughly that more times than not, ten of Columbia City’s eleven players would be stationed in or near the box to help fend off the endless attack.
The ball control was not empty calories. Each move up the field that each player made had purpose, with a handful of Tigers coming forward on each attack to keep the Eagles guessing. In the minutes leading up to the game’s first goal, the score felt inevitable, with Callen O’Brien, Knox Ritter and Mydin Burgher each having opportunities that had spectators holding their breath.
Twelve minutes into the first half, the game’s opening goal would finally come. After some pretty passing near the Columbia City goal, the ball found itself at the foot of O’Brien, who used a nice pump fake to get his defender out of the way before unloading a missile into the back of the net from just outside the box.
Just three minutes later, the Tigers almost added a second one after a tremendous cross-field pass singled out Ritter all by his lonesome on the near side of the field. His shot on goal would be stopped, but served as a reminder that Warsaw wasn’t satisfied yet.

    Warsaw junior Camden Lennox elevates over Columbia City players to head the ball during the first half. Photo by Gary Nieter

With ten minutes left in the first half, the Tigers found a way to double its lead. After a foul just outside of the box, the ensuing free kick by Julian Saldivar was saved by the Eagles’ keeper, but he did not secure the ball. The rebound first went to Matthew Marsh, who put a foot on it but couldn’t send it home. The second player to get to it was Eduardp Escutia, who did not miss his opportunity, finding the back of the net to make it a 2-0 game.
The rest of the first half was more of the same, with the Tigers almost adding a third score on numerous occasions. The first 10 minutes went by in half number two without much drama. The Tigers remained in control of possession, but some good work by Columbia City resulted in the Eagles’ first real chance of the game. A corner kick would turn into a header that would go over the hands of keeper Raul Carbajal, but luckily for the Tigers, Braydon Bussard was standing behind him to keep it out of net.
With about 15 minutes gone in the second half, another Warsaw avalanche took place. After weathering some nice spells of possession by the Eagles, the Tigers were able to get back to what made them so successful offensively earlier in the game, resulting in a series of shots on goal.
While none of these shots made it to the back of the net, they served an important purpose. If Warsaw was busy on the offensive and trying to add to their lead, how could Columbia City come up with enough possession to try to chip away at the lead? The answer was simple: the Eagles couldn’t. Time continued to tick off of the clock with the Tigers in control.
With nine minutes left in the game, things got interesting. Columbia City was awarded a penalty kick after a handball in the box against Warsaw. Brody Borries would convert the opportunity, cutting the Tiger lead in half with the little time remaining.
Now holding onto a much narrower lead, Warsaw found a way to somehow increase its intensity. With every touch more urgent than the last, the Tigers were able to use the possession tactics that had served them so well to this point to melt the clock the rest of the way. With just over a minute left, some great ball movement resulted in a game-sealing goal by Burgher.
Warsaw (13-3-1) will face off against Homestead at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for the first of two semifinal matches at Huntington North. Homestead defeated Fort Wayne Wayne 4-0 in Monday’s first game.