Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
PLYMOUTH - Tuesday night on Kindt Field in the Plymouth Soccerplex, the Warsaw boys soccer team accomplished something that hadn't been done since soccer was introduced as a club sport in the late 1980's at Warsaw.
The Tigers' 2-0 win over the host Rockies gave Warsaw its first undefeated season and Northern Lakes Conference championship in school history.
Both Warsaw and Plymouth came out aggressive to start the match. Both teams also had matching 14-0-1 records, the best start in each school's history.
Warsaw controlled the tempo early, spending the first 15 minutes of the match on Plymouth's side of the field.
After several near misses by Warsaw, the Rockies nearly lit up the scoreboard first when Jeff Ceaser sent a shot wide of goal by just a few feet.
The Tigers regrouped, and in the 22nd minute, Tony Perales, described earlier in the season by Warsaw head coach Scott Bauer as the team's sparkplug, received a pass from Jordan Sharp 20 yards in front of Plymouth goalie Josh Vanvactor. Perales booted what proved to be the game winner into the left corner of the goal.
Despite the early goal and some chippy play on both ends, Plymouth regrouped and put together several good scoring opportunities.
In the 30th minute, Plymouth's Trent Ruff pushed a free kick wide left that left Warsaw clinging to a 1-0 lead.
The Rockies continued its improved play in the second half despite lacking Ricky Davis. The junior midfielder earned a yellow card in the first half and sat in was planted firmly on the Plymouth bench until Bryan Spoor was injured in the 58th minute and forced to leave.
Davis along with his younger brother Randy had a bigger scoring hill to climb.
Just minutes before the elder Davis re-entered the game Jake Rogers drove through a double team and drove a ball past Vanvactor, who had been inadvertently screened by a teammate, that tickled the back of the net to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The chippy play increased as the game between two quality sides who along with battling for an undefeated season and the NLC crown, are rivals.
Four yellow cards were called on the evening to go with many fouls that led to mini-conferences between referees and players.
Despite the extracurricular activites the soccer wasn't lost and Warsaw showed its acumen with a solid game on both ends.
Warsaw's defensive third, which was the biggest question mark early in the season, showed how good they were shutting down Randy Davis. Davis, just a freshman, has 24 goals on the year thus far but was unable to shake a Warsaw defender most of the night.
Tiger goalkeeper Adam Churchill solidified a reputation of being one of the best keepers in the northern half of Indiana with another shutout on three saves added by goal kicks that boomed into Plymouth's half of the field, forcing the Rockies defense back on its collective heels.
As a reward, the Tigers know enjoy the first conference championship in the programs history. The gravity of which isn't lost on Bauer.
"It's been a long time. We've been waiting for it at Warsaw. We've come close a few times and came in second a few times. The one thing we haven't done that we really wanted to do was win the NLC. It's such a tough conference. Every year you're going to run into battles. And you just hope that you can come out on the good end of it," said Bauer.
Despite the scoring of two juniors, Perales and Rogers, its Warsaw's seniors, Churchill, Bryan Kolbe, David Dominguez, Kyle Cowan, Keegan McHoose, Jordan Quiroz, Drew Miles, Ben Rice and Phil Robinson who can leave the hallways at 1 Tiger Lane knowing they were the first group to give Bauer and the school an NLC trophy.
"This senior group, I've had three of them since the semi-state team three years ago, they've really come along and developed great leadership qualities. And of course their play speaks for itself. We couldn't do this without some athletes and kids who can play this game. We've got kids at Warsaw who understand this game and how it should be played. It's fun to coach them and it's been great to see their development."
Warsaw will turn right back around and face the Rockies in the first round of the Argos sectional starting next week.
"Plymouth is a quality side. I've scouted them a few times. I was very aware of how good Plymouth was and it's sort of an unfortunate draw for them and us. We've got to do this all over again. Someone is going to be one cloud nine and someone is just going to be down," said Bauer.
After the first meeting, Warsaw is firmly planted on cloud nine.
The Tigers, 15-0-1 overall and 7-0 in the NLC, rematch with the Rockies in Argos Tuesday at 7 p.m.
WARSAW 2, PLYMOUTH 0
Scoring
W - Tony Perales (Jordan Sharp 21:16
W - Jake Rogers (Unassisted) 55:50
Shots on goal - Warsaw 15, Plymouth 18
Corner kicks - Warsaw 5, Plymouth 6
Free kicks - Warsaw 7, Plymouth 11
JV - Plymouth 3, Warsaw 0
