Late Heroics Lift Tigers In Sectional Opener [VIDEO]
WARSAW – There could not have been a better start to the Plymouth Boys Soccer Sectional than what Culver Academies and Warsaw gave fans Monday night at Kindt Field.
A thrilling contest between two of the area’s most competitive programs could not be contained in the regularly slated 40 minutes of play. Even 14 minutes of overtime wasnot enough for these two teams. No, in the end it took every thing that both teams had but it was the Tigers that emerged victorious with a final score of 2-1 (4-2 penalty kicks).
Things seemed to be going the Tigers way early on as Caleb Klusman gave Warsaw the lead in the first half with an impressive goal (24′) from 30 yards out. Warsaw took that lead into the half and held it for the majority of the second half, all the way until the final minute of the game.
CMA’s Nicholas Bissonnette netted an equalizer with just 18 seconds to spare in the contest to force overtime. After the team’s played two overtime sessions with no goals, the contest came down to the nerve-racking PK session.
Sam Allbritten hit the first attempt for the Tigers as did Adrian Juraidini for the Eagles. The next attempts for each team went high, leaving the PK count at 1-1. Warsaw’s Tomas Rivera hit his shot but was countered by Dominic Puzevic to leave things knotted 2-2 after three attempts for each team.
The tide turned after Tito Cuellar made his attempt for Warsaw. Mauricio Bailleres needed to hit for CMA to keep things even. The Eagles junior fired an attempt that was emphatically denied by a diving Warsaw keeper, Peyton Long. Long’s save was met with a raucous response from his team and Tiger faithful. If the Tigers made the next PK, they would advance.
Fittingly it was Klusman that would take the fifth and ultimately final PK attempt for Warsaw. The senior hit pay dirt and extended his final season by netting the winning PK for the Tigers and was mobbed by his teammates, along with Long, after.
Warsaw interim head coach Frank Courtois was relieved following the game and was asked what it’s like for a player to be in a nerve-racking situation like attempting a PK.
“Let me tell you about the nerves I have as a coach,” Courtois said with a laugh. “That first goal? I can’t watch. I can’t watch it, it’s a very nervous feeling. As a player it is extremely difficult. You have a 99-percent chance to make it over the goalie stopping it, but the whole deal is ‘What if I miss?'”
Having a solid player in goal always helps when getting into a pressure-packed situation like Warsaw was in Monday night. Courtois was very thankful to have Long in goal for the Tigers.
“He’s awesome,” Courtois remarked about the senior keeper. “He’s good at it. I have confidence in him that he’s going to stop at least one in that situation and he stepped up. Great game from him today.”
From taking the lead early to dealing with all the madness late, one player stuck out for Warsaw and that was Allbritten, the team’s captain. A lot of teams may have folded after giving up a goal with just seconds to spare but Allbritten kept his team focused and helped to will the Tigers on for at least another game.
Allbritten stayed level-headed and passed that mentality on to his team, “I told them we had to keep out heads up. No matter what we were still going to have 14 minutes to play after they (CMA) scored that goal.
“We’ve had our ups and downs throughout this season. Players, coaches, whatever, that’s all in the past. Sticking together all year and getting this win proves a lot for going forward. It builds confidence. Sure, we missed some chances but we’re moving forward and that’s what counts.”
The Tigers will move forward to a rematch against Northern Lakes Conference rival Plymouth. The two played to 3-3 draw earlier this season. The Tigers downed the Rockies in last year’s sectional title game. Wednesday’s game will take place at approximately 7 p.m. Wawasee and NorthWood will play the first semifinal contest at 5 p.m.