Week 1 of the high school football season usually always exposes a team in one way or another. However, the Wildcats kept that to a minimum when they executed their offense very effectively and were air-tight on defense in securing a 33-0 season opening win on the road at Lawson on Friday night.
After the opening kick-off by Logan Gemes, it was the Warsaw defense on display first. A 9 play drive by the Cardinals ended on a stop on 4th down with 8 yards to go and the Wildcats offense took over from there.
On their first play of the season, Jayce Depriest rumbled for a 36-yard gain on first down and Warsaw got their first score in a non-traditional fashion after Josh Harvath burst through the middle for 16 yards but the ball popped loose on his way to the ground. Gemes, in the right place at the right time, questionably picked up the ball and jogged into the endzone for the last 13 yards of the play for the score. He also put the PAT through to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.
Warsaw's next trip to paydirt came after a huge defensive play on 1st down for the Cardinals from their own 28 yard line. Sitting in the shotgun formation, Lawson quarterback Brogan Crawford was flanked by one running back in Loki Shields. That would not be enough protection for the signal caller as Drake Murrell and Brecken Brewster both flew into the backfield from their outside linebacker positions. Murrell put the initial hit on Crawford and Brewster cleaned it up, forcing a fumble that the Wildcats would recover at the 9 yard line. Two plays later, Depriest plunged in from 3 yards out for Warsaw's second TD. Gemes PAT was blocked but the Wildcats led 13-0 at the end of the first.
With the defense still amped from their last time on the field, Dakota Todd notched a quarterback sack early in the second quarter to force a 3rd down and 34 for Lawson. A 4-yard run came up way short to force a punt and the Wildcats got back in business quick.
On 2nd down and 7 from the Cardinals' 34 yard line, Harvath found light around the left side and raced into the endzone for another touchdown. Gemes nailed the PAT and it was 20-0.
The Wildcats final score of the first half came on a 4-yard run by Depriest. Gemes PAT was signaled no-good by the back judge but Warsaw took a 26-0 lead into the locker room.
"We felt like, for the most part, we played a good first half," Wildcats head coach Ryan Boyer said. "There's always things that we probably could've done better, but overall, we were very pleased."
The third quarter presented the most adversity for the Wildcats.
After going 3 and out on their first drive of the second half, Warsaw faced 4th and 2 and brought on the punt team. A Cardinals defender slipped through the line, nearly untouched, to block Gemes' punt. He picked it up and raced to the 13 yard line of Warsaw before being drug down by Gemes.
It was the defense that came through yet once again for the Wildcats when they came up with stop after stop on 7 plays, including 1st and goal from the 2 to put the ball back into the hands of the offense after a strong goal line stand.
An ensuing 9 play drive for Warsaw ended with an interception after bouncing off the hands of Murrell who went to the ground with cramps. The senior would return later in the game. The third quarter provided no scoring as the Wildcats held on to the 26-0 lead.
Warsaw's final touchdown of the night came with 5:37 left on the clock. With the offense content with grinding out time left on the clock, Garrett Ferguson handed off to Shane Poyser on a sweep coming from left to right. Poyser went back, then found a crease and turned on the jets as he picked up big blocks from Murrell and Harvath on his way to a 66-yard touchdown run. Gemes' PAT was successful and that score capped the Wildcats 33-0 win.
Warsaw rushed for 280 yard on the night, led by Depriest with 87, Poyser with 66, Depriest with 59 and Ferguson with 43. Depriest tallied 2 TD's while 1 each was added by Harvath, Gemes and Poyser.
Ferguson completed 4 of 9 passes for 38 yards.
The stingy Warsaw defense was led by Murrell with 10.5 tackles. He was followed by Harvath with 6.5 and Depriest with 5.5. Murrell added 1.5 sacks, Harvath and Todd each had 1 and J.C. Minks picked up a 0.5 sack.
The Wildcats will travel to Adrian for their first OHC game of the year this Friday.
That game can also be seen on BCE TV.
