Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SYRACUSE - It's been the theme of his team's season, and Saturday against rival Wawasee it played itself out again.
Scott Bauer's Warsaw varsity boys soccer team had opportunity after opportunity to score, yet when the final second ticked off the clock, the Warriors and Tigers finished in a scoreless tie.
"We didn't finish," said Bauer, whose team had plenty of chances near the net in both the first and second 40-minute half. "That's been the theme all year long. We had opportunities and didn't finish. But Wawasee played well, take nothing away from them."
A night after these two Kosciusko County schools met on the football field, Saturday's game of futbol was just as physical at times. And at times, namely later in the second half as the two teams tried frantically to score, the officials seemed to lose control of the game.
Players on both teams voiced their opinions, as did fans of both teams. Coaches questioned calls, and after he received a yellow card earlier in the game, Tiger senior Nate Salsgiver was called for another infraction and given a red card.
In a nut shell, Saturday's contest was a rivalry game.
"I feel bad for the kids on both sides," said Bauer. "When the officials aren't up to the task for a game with as much passion as Warsaw-Wawasee, both sides suffer."
The tie left Warsaw's overall record in the Northern Lakes Conference at 2-1-3. Overall, the Tigers are 8-4-3 on the season.
Wawasee, on the other hand, is 0-5-1 in the NLC and 2-11-1 overall.
"They played with heart today," said Wawasee coach Kim Nguyen. "They worked as a team, passed, talked and played very strong defense. This was their best game of the season yet."
Warsaw is in action Tuesday when they host conference foe Plymouth at the City-County Athletic Complex. Wawasee plays at NLC rival Concord Tuesday.
