Gone with the wind

GAS CITY — Soccer is typically played with 11 players on the field. With steady 14-mile-per-hour winds and gusts nearly reaching 30 mph, it felt as if one team had a 12th man on the field to help control possession when playing on the southeast goal.

With the wind going against it in the second half, the Jay County High School boys soccer team couldn’t outlast the Mississinewa Indians in the IHSAA Sectional 24 championship on Saturday when they fell 2-1 in overtime.

“I’m sad, angry but realistically we knew it was going to be a tough game,” JCHS coach Bobby Ruiz said. “I’m just proud of them. They had a great season. They played a great game today. The proof was that we got extra time. That proves we were just as competitive as them.”

The Patriots (11-4-2) were forced to play into the wind in the first seven-minute overtime period. Jay County goalkeeper Kaleb Coppock held his ground throughout the period as the Indians (15-3-1) controlled the ball, taking four shots, three of which were on the goal. Coppock saved the first two, but Mississinewa found some luck on the third.

With time winding down in the overtime period, the Indians were looking for a score before they changed sides of the field. With about 10 seconds left, Mason Reel sent what was meant to be a cross for Seth Yoder from 30 yards out. While in the air, the wind caught the ball and sent it toward the goal. Koppock was able to get his hands on it, but the wind kept it going into the left half of the goal with 4.4 seconds left.

As the team’s changed sides for the final overtime period, Jay County had a chance with the wind to its back. It managed to get two shots, one of them on the goal. With 4:40 remaining, Dylan Marentes sent a ball on the ground through the defense that Micah Sylte had to dive to save.

After that, Mississinewa was able to pin the ball in the right corner near Jay County’s goal to prevent it from getting off another shot as the clock ran out.

“He made a great save,” Mississinewa coach Jared Reel said. “I thought it was going in and he made the save. He doesn’t have a lot of goals scored against him. … He’s been phenomenal.

“Our defense, especially Gabe Carper, Drew Hawk and Bryson Vasquez have been phenomenal all year. They were tested today and they stepped up to the challenge. I’m proud of our entire team.”

Sylte gave up only the 15th goal of the season midway through the second half. He sent a ball to the left half of the field that went too far, rolling out of bounds. Alan Ortiz quickly grabbed a new ball to throw in to Marentes, who dribbled to the middle of the field before passing to Levi Muhlenkamp. The junior striker took the ball to his left around a defender to get a clean look at the goal. Sylte came out to disrupt the shot, but Muhlenkamp got the ball past him for the goal 20:52 into the half.

Mississinewa took five and a half minutes to answer back.

The Indians moved the ball around well to force the defense to rotate, when a winger passed Mason Reel the ball. He took a heavy touch to about the 15-yard line where he took the shot that had just enough power to make it over Coppock’s outstretched arms.

In the first half, the Patriots played with the advantage of having the wind to their backs to help maintain possession of the ball, while fighting the wind in the second half. Jared Reel said playing with the wind in the second half was a part of the Indians’ strategy.

“I wanted the second half with the wind at our backs, because I knew that would make a factor in the second half of tired legs,” Jared Reel said. “I thought whoever had the wind at their back last was probably gonna be more successful than if they had to fight it.”

It was a physical game — five yellow cards and a red card were handed out — and players from both teams left the field drenched in sweat.

Despite the loss, Ruiz was proud of his team’s effort.

“This game is nothing to be ashamed of,” Ruiz said. “Everybody left it all. Everybody fought. Everybody went for it. Everybody was focused. It’s just that somebody has to win and it was them.”

It was the final match for seven of the Patriots who will graduate. As the final buzzer sounded, many had tears in their eyes, and took some extra time before walking off the field for a final time.

Senior defender Brayden Collins reflected after walking off for the final time.

“It’s the best season I’ve ever played and this group played.” Collins said. “Our attitudes were much better than any season I’ve ever played.”