Red Devils with successful week, gear up for showdown

While the game was a makeup from earlier in the season, the Tippecanoe boys soccer team battled to get through what was expected to be one-sided game. They earned a 9-0 victory over Greenville to set up last night's huge MVL matchup at Butler for a shot at the league title.

The Green Wave was winless, and in their four previous games, they were outscored 59-2 as the Red Devils scored early and often, before taking their foot off the gas for much of the game.

“It is tough, you try to get guys motivated, but the opponent sometimes dictates the motivation,” said Tipp coach Joel Slyman. “It was like a training session tonight where the guys have to complete passes. I told them at the beginning that they have to raise the standard of execution.”

“The mindset going into the game and your preparation has to stay the same. It is always about preparing yourself to play, and guys stay involved. We brought some younger guys up tonight and some freshmen got to play varsity who had not played varsity before.”

Cam Smith scored first at 37:10 of the opening half off the pass from Maddox Robinson to give Tipp the very quick 1-0 lead, then less than a minute later, Eli Kettle found the net with an assist going to Colin Turner.

At 34:14, Robinson scored off a pass from Smith to make it 3-0. Then, at 21:42, Kettle scored again, with Mason Mader making the pass for the score, giving Tipp a 4-0 lead.

They added a fifth goal before the half when Mader scored at 19:53, and the Tipp lead was 5-0.

In the second half, with a lot of different faces, there were some early goals to close out the scoring. Logan McEntyre found the net off the pass from Kettle for the fifth goal, then Wes Tipton scored at 30:16. Robinson added a header at 28:00 and Gabe Morgan closed out the scoring with the ninth goal of the game for Tipp.

The Red Devils did not take another shot, working on development and finishing out the game with the easy win.

“The day before, Tipp defeated Sidney 8-0 on Senior Night, honoring Preston Harding, Bradyn Lowry, Kaleb Logan, Smith, and Turner.

“Five of the best kids I have ever been around,” Slyman said. “They have made our program this year exceptionally better. We graduated 23 guys in the last two years and five this year. They have carried this program.”