VINCENT - Warren will need to run the table and win its final three games of the season if it is going to break even again on the gridiron this fall.
The two previous years, the Andy Schob-coached Warriors posted 5-5 marks each season.
It all starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday when the royal blue and white football team (2-5 overall, 0-2 Southeastern Ohio Athletic League) returns to Vincent after a three-game road trip to play visiting Gallia Academy (5-2, 2-0) in a homecoming and SEOAL matchup.
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Warren’s Andrew Henthorn (2) attempts to break up a pass intended for a Chillicothe wide receiver during prep football action last Friday night.
"We know we are the underdog in this game, but it is homecoming and it should add some more excitement," Schob said. "Our younger players have another game of experience and will learn from last week and get back to the progress they were making. Our seniors have been positive and continued to work all year and want nothing more than to perform well."
Warren is coming off a disappointing 38-7 setback at Chillicothe (2-5, 1-1) last Friday night. The Warriors mustered just 161 yards of total offense, and one touchdown, a Dylan Leffingwell 11-yard scoring strike to tight end David Ryan in the second quarter.
The royal blue and white never led in the contest.
"We knew going into the game that Chillicothe was much better than their record," Schob said. "The four teams they lost to were probably better than anyone in our league. They were bigger up front and more athletic than we were. However, we were disappointed with the level we played at most of the game. We cannot control our competition, but we can control what we do, and we did not play well."
Defensively, Blake Staley had 23 tackles to lead the Warriors.
Meanwhile, over at Memorial Field in Gallipolis on the same evening, Mike Eddy-coached Gallia Academy (5-2, 2-0) was celebrating its homecoming by "rallying" to defeat Portsmouth (1-6, 0-2), 49-21, in a SEOAL tilt.
The Blue Devils amassed 429 yards of total offense (352 rushing, 77 passing) and defensively sacked the opposing quarterback seven times.
After falling behind 7-0 early to PHS, Gallia scored 42 unanswered points during a 16-minute span and never looked back. The Blue Devils led 35-7 at the intermission.
GAHS quarterback Wade Jarrell completed six-of-12 passes for 72 yards and one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for a team- and game-high 191 yards on seven carries and three touchdowns.
On the ground, Ty Warnimont added 95 yards on three carries and two TDs. Other contributors were Nick Clagg, Luke Pullins, Luke Pullins, and Logan Allison.
Gallia receiver Reid Eastman had one scoring reception of 40 yards.
Defensively, Warnimont had two sacks, and Mark Allen, Austin Gragg, Briggs Shoemaker, Tyler Byus and Jose Roberts had one apiece.
Justin Bailey and Cody Russell each had a pick.
Gallia place-kicker Dylan Saunders was a perfect 7-for-7 on the night.
"Gallia is probably the league favorite and a very sound and physical football team," Schob said. "Defensively they are aggressive and get to the football and offensively they will line up and run right at you, while mixing in spread sets to get their athletes in space."
After Gallia, Warren is scheduled to play at Portsmouth and then conclude its campaign with a home game against Logan.
"We are currently starting five or six sophomores and many other starters are inexperienced and undersized," Schob said. "We understand that most teams we play will be bigger and more varsity ready. Our players understand that we need to play hard for four quarters and be sound fundamentally. I like the progress many have made, but we must be more consistent every week."
Notes: After the Jackson game, signal caller Dylan Leffingwell is the school's leading career passer with 4,573 yards. Against the Ironmen, the senior Warrior threw for 210 yards to break current Warren quarterback coach Shawn Taylor's career mark of 4,414 yards.
Taylor was a first-team All-Ohio honoree in 1996.
Also in the Jackson game, Chas Miller kicked a school-record 47-yard field. The previous record boot of 43 yards was held jointly by Kevin Fivecoait (1985) and Nathan Evans (1995).
Evans is currently the Warren golf coach.
