BROWNSBURG — Being the first to accomplish something no other team has before is a difficult task under any circumstance and the Tri-West Bruins boys’ soccer team made school history Saturday night. With a 2-0 win over Greencastle at the 2012 IHSAA Class A, Sectional 50 final at Bethesda, the Bruins took home the school’s first-ever sectional title.
“It’s great for the team and school. I can’t really put it into words,” said Tri-West assistant coach Jeff Denny, who filled in for coach Adam Bontreger. “It’s great for the kids and a good building experience as we keep growing. Guys stepped up that really hadn’t stepped up before and they stepped up tonight. We played together as a team.”
The victory came on the same day the Tri-West girls’ soccer team won its second consecutive sectional title. The Lady Bruins were in the same position as the boys last season, winning their first soccer sectional title. With their victory earlier in the day against North Montgomery, it gave the guys a little extra motivation for their game.
“When they won this morning we were all like ‘We have to win this now,’” freshman Jaret DeGolyer said.
DeGolyer scored Tri-West’s first goal on the night, rolling in a touch shot after a well-placed free kick from near midfield by teammate Aaron Sorgius.
“I saw the ball come through and Sam (Koelling) was in perfect position to get it, but he saw me and let it go through,” DeGolyer said. “The defense backed off enough to where I could get my foot in there and that was it. It felt like an eternity for it to get in there.”
The goal came with 3:07 left in the first half after the Bruins had dominated the time of possession and outshot the Tiger Cubs, 9-3. Tri-West seemed very much in control of the contest, but its constant efforts were denied by Greencastle’s defense.
In a battle between two teams that did not back down, action became physical and at times a bit chippy. That resulted in 25 fouls (Tri-West 16, Greencastle 9) being called and three yellow cards.
Tri-West was the recipient of two yellow cards, one to Josh McGrath in the first half and another to Sorgius in the second.
The calls and style of play pushed McGrath to play harder and the extra motivation paid off as he found the back of the net with 13:45 remaining in the game. McGrath moved to the top of Greencastle’s box and rocketed a shot into the back of the Tiger Cubs’ goal for a 2-0 lead. He then ran towards the Tri-West faithful along the sideline to celebrate with his teammates.
“I just made a move and all of the anger got me going some,” McGrath said. “I took my anger out on the shot and 90 percent of the time my ball bends when I hit it as hard as I can. So, I knew it would bend somewhat and it did.”
That goal eased the minds of the crowd and team alike.
“When we got the second goal it was a very, very big team booster,” DeGolyer said. “That’s when we knew we were going to finish the game off.”
Tri-West moves on and faces Covenant Christian at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Greencastle for the first round of regional action.
Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy?
Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
