Cougar soccer team keeps rolling with 1-0 win against Mounties

North Putnam senior Autumn Wolf (11) works through the defense during the second half at Southmont on Thursday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- The North Putnam girls' soccer team followed its record-setting game earlier in the week with a dominant 1-0 at Southmont on Thursday.

Senior Autumn Wolf knocked it in during the 60th minute after a beautiful crossing pass from Christa McRoy, set up by Megan Plessinger.

"We played phenomenal," NPHS coach William Gaskins said. "We played confident."

The Cougars (3-1) won at Owen Valley 12-0 on Tuesday, tying the school record for goals in a game. North Putnam used the confidence gained in that game to help them on Thursday.

The team's passing, aggressiveness and overall mentality was all in sync. It seemed like that attitude might have been earned on Tuesday, but Gaskins said he can trace it back even further than that.

"After the loss to Greencastle we really squared around," he said. "We got our heads on knew how to play soccer. Now we are putting that they have learned their entire life together and they are playing real soccer."

Whatever caused it, the Cougars have found a new mentality and they believe in themselves.

Getting a big win against border-rival Southmont is further proof that if they play the right way, they can be in a game with anyone.

"They're seeing that when you play real soccer you can beat any team we play any time," Gaskins said. "We've just been fired up. We've been ready to go. Over the last few practices we've had we've really tightened our game up and played. We have worked on calling out and talking, like we should.

"Now they understand that, when they play as one -- when they play as a unit -- there's not a team out there that we don't think we can beat."

Grabservations

Sophomore Clair Sims continues to be phenomenal.
The North Putnam keeper faced just a few shots in the first half, mostly because her team was busy dominating the ball and keeping the action on Southmont senior Sammy White, but she came up with a huge performance in the final few minutes of each half. Five of the seven shots Sims faced were in the last six minutes of a half, and she sent each one of them packing.
To keep her poise and concentration that long while battling the intense heat made the goal keeping even more impressive.

That heat helped gave the Cougars a chance to flex their depth.
North Putnam is building a strong foundation for their program, and that is proven whenever Gaskins dips into his bench. The Cougars were rotating in players every few minutes, trying to keep hydrated and healthy as the temperature rose into the 90s. When subs came, there was little or no drop in play.
The reserves kept up their pursuit and pressure, just as the starters had. While the Cougars' offense was a little less active, the Mounties still had no better chance of scoring because the fresh defenders made everything more congested.
"It's great to have a big bench," Gaskins said. "If I see somebody that is hurting, I can get them out, get another player in her place and with a deep bench that just helps that much more."

North Putnam's confidence extends all across the game -- except when they're shooting.
NPHS had plenty of rushes at the net, but only one goal to show for it. Every time the Cougars got close, it seemed, they were content just to get something at the goalie, even if it wasn't firm enough to get past her.
"Finishing the ball is always something we're working on," Gaskins said, "but over the last week I've stressed that shots don't matter if we can't get there. We've been stressing to get there and now with these next few practices we have we'll take that and we will get them to finish.
"Hopefully, for the rest of our season, we will put that all together and show how it's done."

At Southmont
North Putnam........0 1 -- 1
Southmont.............0 0 -- 0