Tigers Cruise To 5-0 Win Over Warriors In Sectional Semifinal
Posted
Anthony Gadson-agadson@timesuniononline.com
PLYMOUTH – A couple days after learning it would have to forfeit a six wins and a draw due to playing an ineligible player, the Warsaw boys soccer team came out hot in its first postseason game. Opening Class 2A Sectional 7 play at Plymouth’s Kindt Soccerplex Wednesday, Warsaw senior Nathan Kolbe scored his first of three goals just 42 seconds into the Tigers’ 5-0 victory over Wawasee. “Just trying to get it out of our heads and get focused,” Bauer said about getting his team back on the field after a clerical error caused his team to forfeit the regular season games. “It’s been a difficult couple of days for them. Being out here playing, laughing and having fun with their friends, it was a good thing.” Kolbe’s three goals increased his team lead to 14 on the year, while his assist to senior Grant Allbritten in the 17th minute, increased his team lead in that category to 11. Allbritten followed that goal with another off a direct kick from just outside the goalkeeper’s box in the 26th minute, giving the Tigers a 3-0 halftime lead. Just like the first half, Kolbe got things started quickly in the second half, scoring on a header off a corner kick from sophomore Sam Allbritten with 36 minutes remaining. Kolbe actually scored a goal with 15:30 remaining, but it was whistled off because of an offsides penalty, but he still got the hat trick with the game’s final goal in the 69th minute off a pass from senior Scott Wappes. In all, Warsaw outshot Wawasee 25-2, but just nine of those shots were on goal. “We had a lot of opportunities,” Bauer said. “This game could have been much worse than it was. I’m just hoping we finish more of those opportunities come Saturday than we did today, because I’m thinking we won’t have quite as many. I’m thinking we’ll have enough to win the match, but we’ll need to finish better.” In Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship, Warsaw will vie for its fifth-straight and 11 overall sectional crown when it faces Culver Military Academy, who defeated Plymouth 3-0 in Wednesday’s second game. Against Wawasee, Bauer knew his team was far more talented, and favored, but he wanted his guys to get much more than a win out of the game. “We’re trying to get adjusted to the field,” Bauer said about playing at Plymouth. “We had a little trouble early on, with the angles. It’s not as long as ours, so you kind of have to get used to playing at this facility – the width and the length of it.” Absent from Warsaw’s starting lineup was senior Diego Lopez, who has 11 goals in 14 games, as he was held out for safety’s sake. However, Lopez entered the game with six minutes to play. “He’s got a nagging injury,” Bauer said about Lopez. “It was his choice (to enter the game). He wanted to get a little playing time in near the end just to get touch on the ball.” The two Northern Lakes Conference squads had just met on Sept. 22 at Warsaw, where the Tigers took a 5-0 victory. In the sectional, Wawasee coach Thomas Taylor was hoping to keep the score closer. “We had a goal of, ‘They’re a tough team. Let’s cut the scoring deficit down.’,” Taylor said. “We didn’t get to accomplish that tonight, unfortunately, but there are some things that are promising for Wawasee.” And while Warsaw goes for another sectional crown, Wawasee is looking to build its program. “My underclassmen are very well organized,” Taylor said. “They’ve been well-developed, being a part of (the travel soccer league) Warsaw Wave, so they know that style of play. Coming in the future, we’ll be able to battle a little bit more evenly with (Warsaw).”
WARSAW 5, WAWASEE 0 (Class 2A Sectional 7, Semifinal) W – Nathan Kolbe (Matt Williams) 1st min. W – Grant Allbritten (Kolbe) 17th min. W – Allbritten (free kick) 26th min. W – Kolbe (Sam Allbritten) 44th min. W – Kolbe (Scott Wappes) 69th min. Shots – Warsaw 25, Wawasee 2; Shots on Goal – Warsaw 9, Wawasee 1; Saves – Warsaw (Michael Yantz) 1, Wawasee (Josh Secor) 4; Penalties (Yellow Card) – Warsaw 16 (Zack Tucker), Wawasee 6 (Fernando Camargo); Offsides – Warsaw 3, Wawasee 1; Corner Kicks – Warsaw 11, Wawasee 0 Records: Warsaw 8-8-2, Wawasee 2-10-2
