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Second-half surge propels Marietta past Warren, 2-0

By Jay W. Bennett 5 min read

VINCENT -- The 91st all-time meeting between Washington County rivals Marietta and Warren was scoreless for a half here Thursday night, but the visiting Tigers found the back of the net twice after intermission en route to a 2-0 victory as junior keeper Finn Tindall registered his first clean slate.

"It feels great. These guys are really, really good," admitted Tiger Cole Bergin, who broke the scoreless tie in the 55th minute. "We always have this game marked on the calendar. Coach Ben (Atkinson) used to be our old coach and a bit of a chip on our shoulder because he's a good coach.

"These guys have been unlucky with injuries, but they still battled. They are a good team and they are going to continue to be a challenge for other teams in the district. They are going to go far. I believe it."

Bergin happened to be Johnny-on-the-Spot as Warrior keeper Jonah Hollis made an initial save on a shot by Eli Dunbarger.

"Eli skimmed two defenders and drove down the byline, had a good shot," Bergin added.

"Good save by Jonah and I was just there to tap it in. Right place, right time."

During the regular season opener at Marietta College, the Warriors of coach Atkinson had a 1-1 draw.

"We did some things well, but we let ourselves down," said Atkinson, who got five saves from Hollis as Tindall stopped a quartet of shots. "Sure, we had some good moments in the first half in terms of added possession, but the possession wasn't really good enough. The difference, the first game and this game is personnel. At the end of the day you got different players. Some players can't play, some can. Not an excuse. We haven't found a consistent lineup.

"The jelling issues are there and keeping the ball is just a struggle itself. We're attacking, it's with all them behind the ball, but when they're attacking it was all just counter. All their success was from counter. That's just the truth. I mean that's how they got the lucky one. It came off the counter. Second one, same thing. Them playing in behind and it was not a PK, but you got to live and you got to learn, and if we don't take care of the ball that's what is going to happen."

Tindall's lone save in the opening half came on a long direct kick in the 37th minute by Jackson Perdue. Hollis had stops on Kingston McMahon in the 33rd minute and then in the 40th minute on a shot by Carson Hamilton.

The 2-0 cushion came with four seconds remaining in the 64th minute following a foul in the box.

That allowed Will Haller the opportunity for a penalty kick, which he sent low and left. Hollis attempted to make a diving save, but the ball went off his glove and into the back of the net.

"It's an old adage, but goals change matches," said MHS boss Todd Morris. "We're not chasing the game anymore. It flips it now Warren is chasing the game. Bergin put himself in a good position, but the run by Eli Dunbarger to weave his way through was a phenomenal effort for a freshman to make that kind of contribution, and then Maddox (Broomfield) doing a great job drawing the penalty. Then we let our senior captain take the penalty. Will put enough pace on it and it went in.

"We're kind of a young group. Learning how to win is a skill, too, and being able to see matches out. I thought we could've done a little better to kill the ball with some possession and kind of make things easier. Being down a man (late) didn't help us any, but the guys defended well.

They really wanted this one tonight. It wasn't the most clinical of matches by any stretch of the imagination, but that's what rivalry games are and we found a win to get two in the second half and come away with it."

Warren was unable to create any set piece opportunities after failing to earn a corner kick.

The Tigers had one by Bergin following his own run in the seventh minute. Coach Morris' squad also was unable to get a shot on goal after consecutive corners in the 69th minute by Cohen Kunz or in the 73rd by Rex Williams.

Warren, which slipped to 3-3-2 and welcomes in Sheridan for a 7 p.m. Saturday match, had a long free kick by Gabriel Gandee in the 61st minute, but Tiger Carson Hamilton was able to clear it out of the box via a header.

Marietta, which improved to 3-1-2 and leads the all-time series versus Warren 58-21-12, returns to action at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with a road trip to Alexander.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

At Warren

Marietta boys 2, Warren 0

MHS (3-1-2) 0 2 – 2

WHS (3-3-2) 0 0 – 0

M: Cole Bergin (unassisted) 55th minute

M: Will Haller, penalty kick 64th minute

Shots on goal: M 7, W 4; Corner kicks: M 4, W 0; Keeper saves: M 4 (Finn Tindall), W 5 (Jonas Hollis)

Next matches: Sheridan at Warren, 7 p.m. Saturday; Marietta at Alexander, 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Starting at /week.