Those are the words first-year Warsaw girls soccer coach Jon Hoover used to describe the Lady Tigers’ thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Huntington North Saturday night in the championship game of the Fort Wayne South Side Sectional.
Buhrt, a sophomore midfielder, scored all three of her team’s goals, countering a two-goal performance by Huntington North senior Hannah Tillett and leading the Lady Tigers to their seventh sectional title in eight years and 10th overall.
“Brenna Buhrt was the best player on the field tonight, there’s no doubt about it,” said Hoover, whose team improved to 13-4-3 on the season. “There was a lot of good players on the field tonight, but she was the best player on either side and I think she proved that.”
After a scoreless first half, Tillett’s first goal – her 44th of the season – put the Lady Vikings up 1-0 in the 41st minute.
Buhrt scored the equalizer 12 minutes later when she booted a corner kick that hit Huntington North goalkeeper Kodi Douglass and bounced off the sidepost before crossing the line.
In the 55th min, Tillett put the Lady Vikings back on top, 2-1, when she scored on a free kick.
Nine minutes later, Buhrt took a pass from junior teammate Anna Grill and booted it in the net from 25 yards out, ultimately forcing the 14-minute overtime – which is split into two seven-minute periods, with both being played regardless if a team leads after the first extra session.
Three minutes into overtime, Buhrt completed the hat trick by putting a laser of a shot past Douglass.
From there, Warsaw’s defense clamped down on a Huntington North team that entered the game with a 16-1 record and that had outscored its opponents 103-10.
“I’m proud of how our goals won this game as a team tonight,” said Hoover. “Huntington North has scored a lof of goals this year. We knew it would take a team effort to neutralize Hannah Tillett, and our team executed that well.
“Brenna Buhrt was incredible tonight. She scored goals, played great defense and made everyone around her better. I’m thrilled that our girls get to experience this win. They fought hard and have earned the right to be called sectional champs.”
While Buhrt stole the show, the humble sophomore deflected postgame praise and shared the accomplishment with her teammates.
“It’s just an amazing feeling, and I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else,” said Buhrt. “I love everyone on this team, and we did this together.”
The Lady Tigers outscored their three sectional opponents 21-2 and haven’t lost since a 3-2 setback to Noblesville on Sept. 9.
In the nine games since that loss, Warsaw is 7-0-2 and has outscored its opponents 48-8.
Warsaw, now 13-4-3 on the season, will play McCutcheon (11-7-2) in the Logansport Regional Saturday at 10 a.m. McCutcheon advanced by beating host Lafayette Harrison 1-0 Saturday night.
In Saturday’s second regional semifinal, Noblesville (12-2-3) will square off with Carroll (14-4-1) at noon.
