AKRON – It was just a scrimmage, but an historic event Saturday morning at Tippecanoe Valley.

The soccer club from Tippecanoe Valley officially became a team with its high school scrimmage against Whitko’s boys soccer team. A club for two years, the Valley soccer team became an official high school program for the 2016 season and opened the competition year against its neighbors to the east on its brand new varsity field on campus.

“A great day for soccer,” noted Tippecanoe Valley head coach Mark Gordon before the start of the match. Gordon addressed the crowd prior to the contest while both teams stood aligned on the pitch.

The scrimmage begins the calendar for both Valley and Whitko, which will begin play this coming week in the regular season. Tippecanoe Valley will begin its match year Thursday at NorthWood and then host its first match Monday, Aug. 22, against Maconaquah. Whitko boys soccer opens its campaign Thursday at home against Columbia City.