Warren Central and South Warren play for region title
By Perry Swack
South Warren and Warren Central will play at The Pit on Thursday night with a chance to represent the 4th Region in the KHSAA state tournament. For South, it would be a fifth title in eight seasons. For Central, a region championship would be its third since 2017. The two programs have faced off three times this season. They have also faced off in three region championship games since 2019. Tonight will be Volume 4.
Playing in what is considered by many to be the state’s toughest district, the Spartans and Dragons have faced stiff competition on their run to the region final. The Spartans lead the state with 15 shutouts and have only allowed 16 goals all season. Junior keeper Braxton McCoy anchors the defense in goal, appearing in all 22 games for the club in 2023. Experienced defenders like Logan Palmquist have logged many important minutes for the Spartans over the years. Seniors Palmquist and midfielder Leo Kogetsu both appeared in the state championship game in 2020, while defender Blake Bere played in the state tournament in 2021. South boasts the state’s fourth-highest RPI and is unbeaten in its last seven matches. Freshman Aid Becirovic has been on a tear this season scoring 21 goals in 22 matches. Kogetsu has scored 12 goals on the year, including two in the region semifinals last night. Senior midfielder Tarik Hamzagic led the team with eight assists entering the semifinal match.
Looking for its first region title since 2019, Warren Central is led by sophomore Mzaliwa Noel’s 15 goals and eight assists in attack. Noel added to his total in the semifinal round with a goal and two assists as the Dragons dispatched Todd County Central, 4-1. Freshman Daniel Rivas has tallied 10 goals and seven assists on the year as well, while freshman Daudi Kaburu and sophomore Jonathan Pocasangre have combined for 13 assists. One of only three seniors on the Dragon roster, Byaunda Elombelo bagged a brace against the Rebels to bring his goal total to eight in ‘23. Sophomore goalkeeper Almian Sakanovic leads the backline, only allowing 18 goals in 20 games.
The Spartans and Dragons have faced off three times this season with SW coming out on top all three times by the same scoreline: 1-0. The first meeting at Warren Central was won on a Becirovic goal assisted by Lian Thang in double overtime. Two weeks later, the clubs met at South Warren and again Thang assisted on the winning goal, this time scored by Hamzagic. Hamzagic scored the winner in the district title game in overtime as the Spartans clinched their first district championship since 2018.
How will the region finale go tonight at The Pit? If recent history is any indicator, the final may well be 1-0 again. Seven of the last nine matches in the series have had a 1-0 scoreline.
Prediction: South Warren opens with a first half goal and goes into the break leading 1-0. The Spartans threaten to make it 2-0, but the Dragons level midway through the second half. Neither team is able to find its golden goal and the region championship goes to penalty kicks. Two of the game’s top keepers go head-to-head. McCoy and Sakanovic.
Which team comes out on top? Come out to Bowling Green Junior High School at 6:00pm tonight to find out.
