Tipp, Bethel scrimmage leading into season

One day before the official start of high school soccer practice, both local high schools battled at Tipp Park. Bethel and Tippecanoe squared off in a girls soccer scrimmage as the 2024 fall sports season is officially underway.

The Red Devils built a two goal lead at the half and ended with a 5-2 victory over the Bees. This battle counts nowhere in the standings, but it was a great chance for both coaches to get a look at their teams heading into the first day of practice.

“We saw some positives and some negatives for sure tonight and it was nice to play a good quality team at Bethel,” Tipp coach Brent Palmer said after the scrimmage. “When you hit the back of the net five times you are doing something right.”

“The two goals that we gave up were avoidable. We are looking to play a different style this year with a different formation so it’s an adjustment period. Overall, I am happy with the performance and the effort, and it was the first time we have taken the field all summer.”

Tipp built a 3-1 lead at the half and Palmer was impressed with what he saw out of the offense.

“We had a lot of corner kicks in the first half, and we were able to sneak one of them in from sophomore Maddy Turner,” Palmer said. “We talked about being aggressive in the box and crashing the net. Games are won and lost in the 18s and we want to win those areas.”

Freshman Kenzie Curry off the bench added three goals on the night, and Palmer likes what she could bring to the table, along with Kendall Davis.

“She had a great free kick, and I think we could be dangerous on set pieces this year,” he said. “I am happy with the chances we were able to create, we could have walked away with much more than five tonight and we have to clean up some things defensively.”

For the Bees, head coach Josh Garlough was pleased with the girls who are trying to learn a new formation for the start of the season.

“Tonight went pretty well and I am not worried about the score at all,” he said. “Tipp is a very sound program. We came into the game with a brand new high level formation which most of these girls haven’t run. It was also the first time I had all of what was last year’s varsity all back together.”

“At the end of the day there are things they need to work on, I saw some flaws and difficulties.”

Despite only finding the back of the net twice, Garlough was not concerned at all.

“Offensively, I am not as stressed because once we have a full understanding and go over the formation, I have seven girls who can find the net at any given time.”