TIPP CITY, OH – On a chilly Saturday evening at the Tipp City Park, the Tippecanoe High School alumni beat Bethel in a well-played match. The final score was Tippecanoe 4 and Bethel 2 but the match was back and forth until the final minutes of the second half. The alumni shared congratulations and tired legs at the end of 90 minutes of play for the first annual meeting of local rival schools.
Tippecanoe alumni Matt Owen (1988) had the idea for the cross town rivalry match for severally years. “I contacted Tipp coach, Scott Downing (1992) and Bethel coach, Bob Hamlin to see if they thought we could do this. They both liked the idea from the start,” said Owen. Tippecanoe renamed their alumni match to the Sarah Merritt Memorial Alumni Game. Plans are underway for Bethel to host the 2010 match.
The match was tied until Tipp scored at the 88 minutes and 89:10 to secure the victory. Scoring for Bethel was Sam Benard (2007) and Aaron Wray (1996). Goalkeeper, Seth Perkins (1996) played an exceptional match saving several shots on goal for Bethel. Tippecanoe goals were scored by Downing, Adam Lileas (2005), and Chris Schroeder (2007).
Proceeds from the event go to the Tippecanoe Alumni Association and the Bethel Athletic Boosters. For more information, contact Reed Spencer (Bethel) at 937.667.3017 or reed@reedspencer.com or Matt Owen (Tippecanoe) at 937.667.8300 or mowen@tippcitychamber.com .
