FORT WAYNE – The Northrop High School boys soccer team put up a strong fight against the Class 2A No. 2 Warsaw Tigers Monday at home, but couldn't get the win. Warsaw junior Manuel Rodriguez broke a 0-0 tie with 12:51 left in the contest, heading in a cross off the foot of senior Zach Tucker, the lone goal in the 1-0 victory for the Tigers (2-0-1) over the Bruins (1-2). “Winning the match was important,” Warsaw coach Scott Bauer said. “I wish we would have done it in a more efficient way. It was just one of those days where we were unlucky. We created quality opportunities, we just didn't finish them.” In all, Warsaw attempted 25 shots, 10 of which were on goal. Warsaw's initial opportunity was golden, as senior Stephen Kolbe got behind the Bruins' defense, but was tripped up by Northrop junior Danny Craghead, drawing a yellow card in the process. Junior Sam Allbritten also had his chance, being at the right spot when Northrop sophomore goalkeeper Cameron Fox had a ball slip through his hands. Once the ball got through Fox's grip, Allbritten was there to put a foot on it, but it hit the left post. Two minutes after Allbritten's misfire, he had another shot off a pass from Kolbe, but he sailed just high of the crossbar, leading to a 0-0 halftime score. “I thought we had a miserable first half,” Bauer said. “I told them at half, that I thought every single player was playing below what he was capable of. We were uncharacteristically carrying the ball over. We were missing headers. We were stabbing, and I thought it was because we came in with a pretty complacent attitude. I challenged the guys at halftime.” That challenge was to play up the ranking the Indiana Coaches Association has given them. “They know they're No. 2, at least they do now because I told them,” Bauer said. “But I said, just like last year when one of my players said, 'It's not because of anything we've done this year. It's what they did last year.' So I challenged them to start finding their identity and using these kinds of moments to get stronger and become more focused.” Bauer felt his team came out stronger in the second half, but the bad luck followed. First, a cross from junior Tito Cuellar found an open Tucker, but it went just above the crossbar. Then with 20:45 remaining in the match, Tucker had another shot on goal, but Fox got just enough of it to tip it over the bar. Eventually, Rodriguez was able to capitalize on an opportunity. “I thought we picked it up,” Bauer said. “Particularly Tito - he had a strong second half. (Senior) Miguel (Rivera) always plays well, and he had a good second half. We just had some uncharacteristic breakdowns in the back, which gave me a few scares in the second half. I'm not happy with the scoreline, but I am happy with the change in attitude. In the second half, we did create more opporunities and they were good ones.” Northrop also had its opportunities, including a one-on-one by junior Joshua Mahon, but his shot sailed high with 33:27 remaining. “We knew their strength would be their midfield,” Bauer said of the play of Mahon, as well as junior Noel Foster. “We thought we'd contain their attack, but we needed to get some possession. They have a couple nice looking players.” Fox was another one of the nice looking players, recording nine saves to keep his team in it. After playing their first three matches in Fort Wayne, the Tigers will play their first home match Thursday in its Northern Lakes Conference opener against the Plymouth Rockies. “I hope the guys go into that Plymouth match with a real edge to them, because I didn't really see that edge today - in the first half,” Bauer said. “Sometimes it's hard to turn those things around.”
