Two days after an impressive 3-1 win over Columbia City to open up sectional play, the Warsaw boys soccer team was back in action on Wednesday, taking on Homestead at Huntington North High School in the semifinals. It took a while for the Tigers to get going, but once they did, it was smooth sailing on the way to a 3-0 win.
As was the case in their sectional opening game on Monday night, the Tigers enjoyed a fast start in this one, applying a ton of pressure early and forcing mistakes by the Spartan midfielders. Warsaw was able to convert these mistakes into chances, with Mydin Burgher getting a few shots on goal from the left wing spot early on.
Defensively, it was another masterful half for Warsaw, who seldom let Homestead get its offense going. The ball was mainly possessed near the Spartan goal or the midfield, with chances for the visitors on the scoreboard coming few and far between. It was a great half for the entire Tiger back line, specifically Talan Asay, who got his team out of trouble a few times by making some great plays to clear any danger.
Twelve minutes into the game, Warsaw earned its first corner, but the chance went by the wayside. The Homestead counterattack stemming from the set piece was also quickly thwarted, leading to a kind of dead period with not a ton going on. Each side took turns forcing turnovers in the midfield as the clock continued to tick.
About midway through the half, the Tigers were able to find some successes once again, unleashing a flurry of shots on goal. It seemed as if Warsaw scoring the opener was inevitable, but time continued to pass with the two sides level at zero.
With just over 10 minutes left in the first half, Noah VanPuffelen subbed in, making his first appearance of the playoffs. The inclusion of the senior striker led to a much more spaced out field and even more opportunities for the Tigers to find an opener, but it never came. The two teams headed back to their benches scoreless at the half.
Eager to get onto the scoreboard, Warsaw opened the second half as it did the game, making things incredibly uncomfortable for Homestead and dominating possession. But still, the game’s first goal remained out of reach. Whether it was the final pass or the final touch, each scoring chance seemed to end in frustration, as the Tigers continued to inch closer but remained so far.

    Warsaw senior Eduardo Escutia (L) and Homestead's Luke Dragan trap the ball during the first half. Photo by Gary Nieter

After weathering the storm for what felt like the entire game to this point, the Spartans began to control pace on their terms after a few minutes in the second half. Homestead’s best spell of possession to this point led to a perfect cross that should have resulted in the first goal of the game, but nobody was there to receive it. A few minutes later, a botched clearance would lead to a breakaway for the Spartans, but Tiger keeper Raul Carbajal came up big with a save to keep things level.
Having been challenged for the first time in the game, Warsaw got back to business after the scare, nearly scoring with 20 minutes left, but Tanner Reynolds shot from distance went off the top of the crossbar. The shot on goal opened up the floodgates, leading to a plethora of chances for the Tigers. Finally, after winning another corner kick, the scrum in front of the goal resulted in VanPuffelen getting the final touch on the ball, putting it into the net to put his team on top with 18 minutes left.
The Tigers weren’t satisfied with just one. Following the score, Warsaw amped up its aggressiveness even more, hunting for a second goal to pull away. The desire would pay off, as with 12 minutes left, Esteban Saldivar hooked up with Burgher on a perfect cross, with Burgher using his head to put an incredible second goal into the back of the net. The thoughts of extra time were now long gone, as Warsaw now sat comfortably with a two-goal advantage and time winding down.
The lead got even more comfortable four minutes later, as VanPuffelen made it a brace with his second goal of the night on a rebound to make it 3-0. Now firmly in control, Warsaw seemed content to let time run out, which it eventually did.
The Tigers will take on the winner of Fort Wayne Northrop/Huntington North in the sectional championship game at Huntington North at 2 p.m. Saturday.