Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The first half of Saturday's Northern Lakes Conference boys soccer match between Warsaw and Wawasee seemed oddly familiar to the night before.
In Friday night's football game, the Warrriors, a heavy favorite, had their hands full with a one-win Tiger squad before finally pulling away late.
Saturday, it was Wawasee that served the role of potential spoiler.
Warsaw entered the City-County Athetic Complex with a 12-1-2 record and a chance to clinch a share of the Northern Lakes Conference title.
Though the Warriors entered with a record 3-8-4 record, they gave the Tigers all they could handle before falling 3-1.
In girls action, Wawasee beat Warsaw 4-0.
Not only did the win give the Warsaw boys a share of a conference crown it was also the 100th for coach Scott Bauer.
"These guys had a lot of uphill games this year and came through," said Bauer of his team.
Wawasee and Warsaw battled back and forth in the first half and the Warriors seemed to hold the emotional edge as they tried to keep their Kosciusko County rival from a conference title.
In the second half talent won over emotion as Warsaw sophomore Jesse Sharp scored two goals and assisted on another by Michael Reinholt to give Warsaw the win.
Wawasee continued to battle and got on the board when John Miller, the Warriors placekicker for football, scored on a direct kick.
Wawasee's Drew Johnson gave an impressive effort in goal as he stopped 12 Warsaw shots.
"Wawasee came out very vocal, very energized," said Bauer. "I told our guys that this match could make (Wawasee's) season. Give Wawasee credit, they played a gritty match."
With the win, Warsaw shares the NLC title with Concord who the Tigers tied at the CCAC earlier in the season.
The Warriors, 3-9-4 overall and 0-5-2 in the NLC, take on Bethany Christian in the first round of sectional play Thursday at Goshen.
Warsaw, 13-1-2 overall and 6-0-1 in the NLC, will take on host Argos in the first round of sectional play Thursday.
Bauer said his team has met three of its goals this year with wins in their own tournament, South Bend Clay's tournament and winning the conference, now Bauer said its time for some new goals for the postseaosn.
While the boys game was going on so was the girls match where a much-improved Wawasee squad blanked Warsaw 4-0.
Megan Walker, Brennan McAdams and Kristin Lemaitre scored for the Warriors.
Wawasee's Francisca Hoffman scored on a penalty kick and had two assists to lead the Warriors.
"Francica Hoffman played one heck of a game," said Warsaw coach Mike Getz. "She really beat us today."
In a physical match, Wawasee asserted itself early and often and showed how much the program has improved recenlty.
The Warriors, 10-1-4 overall, got its second NLC win after three ties and a loss in conference.
"It's been really tough for us to pull off conference wins so this is a big win for us," said Wawasee coach Dodd Cunningham. "We felt going into the season we should have competed for the conference."
Despite a lack of wins in conference, Cunningham feels confident about his team's chances in the postseason.
"We have a high outlook for sectional. We're going to take it one step a time but we feel like we can win our sectional and that's never happened (at Wawasee)," said Cunninhgam.
Wawasee, 2-1-3 in the NLC, takes on NorthWood Tuesday in the regular-season finale.
The Tigers are in aciton tonight at 7 p.m. against Goshen for Warsaw's senior night then Wednesday at home against Huntington North before starting sectional play.
BOYS -ÊWARSAW 3, WAWASEE 1
Warsaw goals -ÊJesse Sharp 2, Michael Reinholt (Sharp)
Wawasee goal -ÊJohn Miller
JV -ÊWarsaw 4, Wawasee 0
Warsaw goals - Travis Goodman 2, William Brown (Ryan Price), Armando Tleuhtl (Thomas Fitzpatrick)
Defense - Warsaw's Reid Swanson recorded shutout
GIRLS -ÊWAWASEE 4, WARSAW 0
(Scoring)
Waw - Megan Walker (Francisca Hoffman) 11th minute
Waw -ÊBrennan McAdams (Hoffman)
Waw - Kristin Lemaitre (unassisted) 54th minute
Waw -ÊFrancisca Hoffman (penalty kick)
Shots on goal - Wawasee 8, Warsaw 3
Saves - Kyle Ort (Wawasee) 3, Katy Cutshall (Warsaw) 3
Fouls -ÊWarsaw 25, Wawasee 10
