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Tiger Cubs net overtime win over Cougars
By CAINE GARDNER
Sports Editor
Greencastle boys' soccer hosted North Putnam Thursday, with the two teams needing overtime to decide the match. The Tiger Cubs scored the extra periods only goal to come away with a 2-1 victory.
After the Cougars tied the game 1-all in the second half, Greencastle was able to score the deciding goal with 3:51 to go in the first half of the overtime period.
The Tiger Cubs were awarded a corner kick, with Jacob Kessler racing to the corner to deliver the kick. Kessler lined up the shot and curved the ball into the front of the net, where Sedrick Weinschenk rose above the crowd and delivered a header into the net for the deciding goal.
"It's a tough loss. It's a game everyone on the team wanted to win," North Putnam head coach Dave Moeller said. "Them being a big rival and the teams they've had in previous years, them losing all those players, we definitely thought we had a chance -- an opportunity.
"We came out to play tonight; things just didn't go our way."
Greencastle was first to get on the board when Isaac Harms blasted a shot past North Putnam keeper Bailey Allen at the 13:41 mark in the first half.
The two teams attacked each other throughout the first half. GHS head coach Dave Lilly said the Cougars were familiar with his younger players and kept the pressure on.
"They weren't backing down," Lilly said. "They won the physicality part of it. The officials let them play at that level, so that's the level you have to play at. I think we showed a little in overtime what we are capable of doing early. It's been the story of the season.
"The first few minutes we keep our shape, make good wide touches and possession. Then all of a sudden something clicks and it becomes kickball. They gave us so many opportunities, but our finishing was big suspect," Lilly added.
In the second half, the Cougars were able to tie the game up off a corner kick of its own. The kick found its way into the middle, with Nate Woolums sneaking the ball past GHS keeper Zane Miller. Moeller noted his player made a smart choice to place the ball instead of trying to kill it.
Lilly noted his team came out flat in the second half, which he felt allowed the Cougars to tie the match up. But his team was able to regain its edge to score the winning goal in overtime.
"Fortunately we got it done without the penalty kicks," Lilly said. "I liked our chances in the shootout anyway. We have one under our belt, we've worked on it quite a bit, so I'm pretty comfortable with Zane in there and with our shooters that if it came down to it."
Moeller said his team would need to do a better job of setting itself up for success.
"Get the ball in the back of the net. That's kind of our biggest problem right now. We play teams pretty tough, we just have a problem on that offensive third scoring and creating enough opportunities so we can convert those," Moeller said.
Greencastle squander many chances to put goals on the board, a fact Lilly acknowledged after the match.
"That's the frustrating part," Lilly said. "I know that it's there and I know we're capable of playing better than we did tonight, but I don't know what I have to do to make them have that switch that they start playing less predictably and playing with vision."
Greencastle will host Northview at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, while North Putnam will host Covington at 11 a.m.
At Greencastle
North Putnam 0 1 0 -- 1
Greencastle 1 0 1 -- 2
First Half
GHS -- Harms 13:41
Second Half
NP -- Woolums 31:08
Overtime
GHS -- Weinschenk 3:51