Argos boys soccer celebrates 60th season but falls to Oak Hill

VanDerWeele: ‘It will come together. It’s just when.’

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Argos boys soccer coach Todd VanDerWeele speaks at the 60th anniversary celebration event at the Argos cafeteria Saturday following the team’s 1-0 loss to Oak Hill. Players ranging from 1965 grad Wade O’Dell to current players were in attendance. Former coaches Eugene Snyder and Tim VanDuyne, 1980 Argos grad and former player Jon VanDerWeele and this reporter were among those who gave speeches. Argos and Culver Academy began playing soccer in 1964, and they are the first two high school soccer teams in Indiana.

(Sidenote:Val Tsoutsouris was also one of the speakers for this event, he was too modest to include that!-Steve)

ARGOS — The Argos boys soccer team’s present met its past when it celebrated its 60th season after their home game at Eugene Snyder Field Saturday.

The question during the game was if there might be more reason for hope in the very near future.

That is to be determined after freshman Luke Elzinga scored with 22:39 left off a scramble to give Oak Hill a 1-0 win.

Argos dropped to 0-2. They lost their season opener to Class 3A, No. 18 Warsaw 7-0 earlier in the week, so they are still looking for their first goal.

Argos had four shots on goal. Junior midfielder Luke Stults had three of them, but the best scoring opportunity might have occurred in the first minute of the second half when Ethan Petz intercepted a clearing pass and a clean look on Oak Hill goalkeeper Collin Kreitzer, but Kreitzer cut down the angle and blocked the shot away.

Sawyer Crace had three saves in goal for Argos.

Argos coach Todd VanDerWeele said that most of Oak Hill’s shots were outside the 18-yard penalty box, and he said he is OK with that.

“We defended well in our defensive third of the field, I thought,” VanDerWeele said. “I think this is one of those games (where) it came down to who scored first. I think that we had some opportunities that maybe we want back. End of the first half, it just didn’t happen. So I think it’s just one of those games of the bounce of the balls. I think it was a fairly even match, and they just made something of their break, and we weren’t able to.”

VanDerWeele has emphasized with his players to try and use the flanks more before sending it back to the middle. He said they were trying too hard to push the ball down the middle of the field during their summer practices.

“We’ve tried to emphasize to those guys that you have to use the flanks, or teams are going to sag in the middle, and it’s going to be easy to defend us,” VanDerWeele said. “It’s hard to do that against Warsaw Tuesday because they are so strong, and I thought we did a really good job for most of the game doing that. They really opened them up and gave us some chances to really break them down.”

Asked where his team’s confidence level is at, VanDerWeele said he hoped it improved after the Warsaw game.

“We played really well,” VanDerWeele said. “We could be a little more efficient in attack, but I felt there was probably the best team spirit since the regional last year (a 2-1 loss to Faith Christian). We were fighting for each other. I think that we left it all on the field. I hope their confidence is up.”

VanDerWeele was asked which players who are back from last year’s team have improved the most.

“I think Corbin Rex has improved a lot,” VanDerWeele said. “Kyle Penn has improved a lot. I think Keagan Stanley has improved quite a bit. Boyd Paul has really taken care of himself, and he’s out in the field, and he’s been in the goal since fourth, fifth grade, and I think he’s still trying to work through that, but he works hard, he makes things happen. I think Ethan Petz is growing.”

VanDerWeele also praised Ben Zahm for how he stood up to physical play.

“Ben Zahm has grown a ton,” VanDerWeele said. “He’s had two really good games for us. He took a beating today. That was a really physical game in the middle of the field, and that happens, but he handled it really well. Austin Owens is another one; he’s growing, and he’s got more confidence.

“The guys, they’re working, and they’re getting better. It will come together. It’s just when. Is it going to be next game, or is it going to be at the end of the season? It’s going to happen. I know it.”