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The Warsaw boys soccer team, fresh off a draw against a good Penn side on Saturday, resumed Northern Lakes Conference play with a statement on Tuesday night. Hosting Mishawaka, the home side scored five goals in the first eleven minutes in what turned into a 13-0 blowout that kept the team perfect in conference play.
The Tigers were on the prowl early and it resulted in a goal just three minutes in. After constant pressure by the home team to begin the game, Warsaw was eventually able to create the first big chance of the night for senior Jonah Caughell. Getting the ball just inside the box, he took advantage of the opportunity by burying the ball into the bottom right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Just four minutes later, the Tigers put an even more impressive goal on the board. Taking an awarded corner kick, sophomore Cubo Kateule delivered a perfect crossing ball into the center of the box. Defenseman Sean Smith, one of the biggest guys out there, used every inch of his frame to leap up and head the ball into the back of the net for a lightning-quick 2-0 lead.
Not even 60 seconds went by before Sam Lara added the third goal of the night. The senior had a nearly uncontested run to the net as he made his way past defenders and into the box. His initial shot was saved, but he kept with it and chipped in the rebound to really put things away early by making it 3-0.
The onslaught continued from there, as Lara put in two more goals over the next three minutes to give himself a hat trick just eleven minutes into the game. The Cavement had absolutely no answers for the offensive display that Warsaw was putting on, as the orange and black strikers were weaving through defenders like they were speeding through rush hour traffic.
Following the fifth goal, every Tiger outside of the goalkeeper was subbed out of the game. Even with the platoon of substitutes coming into the game, the Tigers were still able to dominate possession and remain on the attack. The goals didn’t come at such a high frequency, but the home side did add some more in the first half. Senior Ethan Crawford netted the sixth goal of the game a little past the midway point of the 40 minutes. A few minutes later, Anthony Noriega scored a seventh.
Warsaw sophomore Antony Noriega recoils after his hard kick is bounced off Mishawaka goalie Alex Camacho only to bounce back into his face and then into the goal...Nieter
With a little under five minutes until halftime, Warsaw got back onto the scoreboard again, this time with Samuel Falla added an eighth goal, moments before Noriega picked up his second of the game to make it 9-0. Now, with junior varsity players coming in and pickiung up where their varsity counterparts left off, the mercy rule was in effect, and only 20 minutes would be played in the second half.
The lead grew to double digits not long after the second half began, as sophomore Elijah Bell became the third player from the JV roster to net a goal. With just seven minutes before the final horn sounded, he added a second to become the third player with at least a brace. Noriega would go on to become the second player to record a hat trick before Samuel Ocampo added one final strike to give the game its final scoreline.
Warsaw (6-1-1, 2-0 NLC) hosts Bishop Luers on Thursday.
