Tippecanoe celebrates after Caleb Ransom scored the game’s first goal Wednesday night in a D-II regional semifinal at Springfield High School.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Tippecanoe’s Landon Haas reacts after scoring his second goal of the game
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Tippecanoe’s Landon Luginbuhl crosses the ball against Jonathan Alder Wednesday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Tippecanoe’s Colin Turner controls the ball in front of the Jonathan Alder goal Wednesday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
Tippecanoe goalie Michael Jergens recorded his 12th shutout in goal Wednesday night.
Rob Kiser|Miami Valley Today
SPRINGFIELD — The plan was to dominate from the start for the Tippecanoe boys soccer team in a D-II regional semifinal matcup with Jonathan Alder Wednesday night at Springfield High School.
And the Red Devils did exactly that, opening a 3-0 halftime lead en route to a 5-0 victory over the Pioneers.
Tipp, 19-1-1, advances to Saturday’s regional championship game against Summit Country Day at noon at Alumni Stadium in Centerville.
The Knights, the only team to defeat Tipp during the season, won 2-1 over Indian Hill Wednesday in a game decided by PK’s.
In that game, Summit was trailing 1-0 before Quinn Kreider’s goal with 25 minutes left in regulation.
Goalie Joaquin Beatty had two saves on PKs, and Izzy Rawlings PK clinched the win.
As for Tippecanoe, Joel Slyman’s team executed its plan to perfection.
“Jonathan Alder hadn’t been here for a long time,” Slyman said about the regional tournament. “We kind of wanted to get them back on their heels and that is exactly what we did.”
After missing several early opportunities to score, Caleb Ransom got the Red Devils on the board with 23:55 remaining in the first half.
Hudson Owen’s shot from the right side ricocheted right back to Ransom on the left side and he got the Red Devils scoring started.
“That was big to get the first goal,” Slyman said.
Then, Landon Haas did what Landon Haas does.
He scored off a goal just 45 seconds later and with with 11:47 remaining in the half, he gave Carson King a perfect ball on his corner kick and King headed it in for a 3-0 lead at halftime.
“Landon Haas is a big-time player,” Slyman said. “Big-time players come up big in big games.”
Haas added a goal in the second half and King finished the scoring, converting on Cameron Smith’s throw-in.
“All our big-time players came up big for us tonight,” Slyman said. “That is what you have to have.”
Michael Jergens recorded his 12th shutout of the season, with six saves in goal.
Now, the Red Devils get a chance to avenge their only loss of the season — and make a third trip to the Final Four in five years.
“It is exciting to have an opportunity to get to the state tournament,” Slyman said.
And Tippecanoe will look for some more perfect execution of the game plan on Saturday to do it.
Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]
