STORY BY ROB KISER - PIQUA DAILY CALL
It was a wild first half and frenetic final few minutes.

And when the dust had cleared the Piqua boys soccer team had emerged with a 4-4 tie with Greenville Thursday at Wertz Stadium, overcoming a slow start.

“We wanted to get a win tonight,” Piqua coach Chad Haemmerle said. “But, I feel very fortunate to get a tie when you consider a good part of this game we were outcoached and to a certain extent, outplayed.”

The offensive combination of Brian Langston and Kory Yohey, combined with the entire team raising their energy level, helped Piqua rally from a 2-0 deficit midway through the first half.

A deficit that could have been worse.

Piqua was called for a foul in the box less than three minutes into the game, but the PK sailed high over the net.

Yohey then sent a shot off the post at the Greenville end and nearly followed it in with a header.

But, after that, Greenville began to take control. Despite missing on several breakaway opportunities, the Wave led 2-0 with 21:56 remaining in the first half when Ty Finch and Tyler Martin found the Piqua in a two-minute span.

But, the first half scoring was just beginning.

Langston chased down a long-ball from Yohey and beat the Greenville goalie to get Piqu on the board at the 18:03 mark. At the 7:38 mark, Yohey crossed to Langston in front of the goal and the game was tied 2-2.

“I had taken Brian (Langston) out early in the game,” Haemmerle said. “I told him he needed to play with more energy. This team feeds off Brian Langston and you could see that tonight.”

But, three more goals would come in the final six minutes of the first half. Sandwiched between goals by Greenville’s Cameron Raterman and Martin’s second goal, Yohey finished a long ball from Langston at the 4:03 mark of the first half.

When all the action had finished, Piqua trailed 4-3 at the break.

“There were seven goals scored in the first half,” Haemmerle said. “That’s just sloppy play on both sides of the field. That shouldn’t happen.”

The Piqua defense brought a different energy to the field in the second half.

“Our defense struggled early, but it wasn’t just our defense,” Haemmerle said. “It is all over the field.”

The Indians blanked the Wave in the second half.

“I was thinking at halftime if we could shut them out (in the second half), we had a good chance to win the game,”  Haemmerle said. “Three goals should be enough to win the game. We had to score four tonight, just to get a tie.”

The tying goal came from the same combination as Langston crossed to Yohey and Yohey’s momentum took him into the goal following the ball.

“They are a great combination for us,” Haemmerle said.

Greenville had several frenetic runs at the Piqua goal in the closing minutes, including a free kick from just outside the box. But, Piqua keeper Tommy Holfinger and his defense were able to preserve the tie on a hot and humid night.

“This was Greenville’s first game, so they were fresher,” Haemmerle said. “We have conditioned, but we had the game Tuesday. Even yesterday. Even if you have a light practice, when the heat index is over 100, it is going to drain you.”

The Indians will be back in action Saturday, playing at Newton.

“That is another tough game,” Haemmerle said. “They (Newton) won 14 games last year. You don’t win 14 games if you are not a good team.”

And Haemmerle hopes the action won’t be quite as wild and frenetic as it was Thursday night.

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