Warsaw Routs Wawasee To Keep ‘W’ Trophy

October 2, 2021 at 4:58 a.m.
Warsaw Routs Wawasee To Keep ‘W’ Trophy
Warsaw Routs Wawasee To Keep ‘W’ Trophy

By Chip Davenport-

The 36th battle between Warsaw’s and Wawasee’s gridders for the W Trophy was a lopsided 49-7 win for the Tigers, and although the expected outcome was not a mystery to anyone in attendance before the opening kickoff, it was an opportunity to address some questions.

The questions Warsaw addressed included how their twos and threes could perform against the Wawasee ones. Tiger head coach Bart Curtis expects anyone getting action under “Friday Night Lights” to be ready to execute as effectively as the athletes they’re spelling.

“I was a little irritated that our twos did not punch it in on their ones at the end of the first half,” Curtis noted. “We expect them to execute as well as the kids that are in there. If your number is called, you better execute completely.”

The Tigers were ahead 28-0 after the first frame, and Curtis went to his twos, a mix of senior reserves and JV starters, to see how they’d fare in the heat of varsity battle. Late in the second quarter Warsaw’s second team offense coughed up the ball near the red zone while leading 35-0.

Tiger signal-caller, junior quarterback Tucker Curtis was involved in three of those five first half scores. He passed for one, a 43-yard pass across the middle of the field to senior A-back Julius Jones. The elusive QB also ran for two TDs finishing with 21 yards to go along with his TD pass.

The evening, however, belonged to two JV B-backs (like a fullback). Junior Jayce Sawyer (13 totes, 169 yards) demonstrated breakaway speed with 27- and 28-yard scoring runs. Reed Zollinger, 5’7” 170-pound sophomore rolled up 142 yards on 18 hauls and a two-yard run to paydirt.

JV B-back Leyton Isbell (6 totes, 68 yards) wrapped up the Tigers’ scoring putting the W Trophy winners up 49-7 at 10:49 in the final period.

Jaxson Brown, Wawasee’s back-up quarterback found starting QB Lucas Ringler in the end zone for a 12-yard TD pass with 75 ticks remaining on the scoreboard clock.

Hayden Rodriguez had a 61-yard run and finished with 66 yards on tow carries. Bryson Brown (2 carries 35 yards), Julius Jones (two carries, 14 yards) and quarterback Grady Nolin (four rushing yards), who took the helm at quarterback for the entire second half, rounded out the Tigers’ 516 total yards on the ground, six yards shy of the school record set in this year’s season opener.

The starting Tiger defense moved its shutout streak to twelve quarters, and although the JV defense was scored upon Curtis was pleased with the unit’s performance.

Wawasee’s 121 yards of total offense included 67 yards in the air to Hunter Tinkey (35 yards), and Nathan Larsen (20 yards) along with Ringler’s TD reception. Brandon Kelly led the Warriors’ rushing effort with 23 yards followed by Brown’s 20 yards.

Warsaw (6-1, 5-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference) hosts Northwood (4-3, 3-2) for football, band and cheer Senior Night Friday. The Warriors (1-6, 1-4) host Mishawaka (5-2, 3-2) Friday as well.



The 36th battle between Warsaw’s and Wawasee’s gridders for the W Trophy was a lopsided 49-7 win for the Tigers, and although the expected outcome was not a mystery to anyone in attendance before the opening kickoff, it was an opportunity to address some questions.

The questions Warsaw addressed included how their twos and threes could perform against the Wawasee ones. Tiger head coach Bart Curtis expects anyone getting action under “Friday Night Lights” to be ready to execute as effectively as the athletes they’re spelling.

“I was a little irritated that our twos did not punch it in on their ones at the end of the first half,” Curtis noted. “We expect them to execute as well as the kids that are in there. If your number is called, you better execute completely.”

The Tigers were ahead 28-0 after the first frame, and Curtis went to his twos, a mix of senior reserves and JV starters, to see how they’d fare in the heat of varsity battle. Late in the second quarter Warsaw’s second team offense coughed up the ball near the red zone while leading 35-0.

Tiger signal-caller, junior quarterback Tucker Curtis was involved in three of those five first half scores. He passed for one, a 43-yard pass across the middle of the field to senior A-back Julius Jones. The elusive QB also ran for two TDs finishing with 21 yards to go along with his TD pass.

The evening, however, belonged to two JV B-backs (like a fullback). Junior Jayce Sawyer (13 totes, 169 yards) demonstrated breakaway speed with 27- and 28-yard scoring runs. Reed Zollinger, 5’7” 170-pound sophomore rolled up 142 yards on 18 hauls and a two-yard run to paydirt.

JV B-back Leyton Isbell (6 totes, 68 yards) wrapped up the Tigers’ scoring putting the W Trophy winners up 49-7 at 10:49 in the final period.

Jaxson Brown, Wawasee’s back-up quarterback found starting QB Lucas Ringler in the end zone for a 12-yard TD pass with 75 ticks remaining on the scoreboard clock.

Hayden Rodriguez had a 61-yard run and finished with 66 yards on tow carries. Bryson Brown (2 carries 35 yards), Julius Jones (two carries, 14 yards) and quarterback Grady Nolin (four rushing yards), who took the helm at quarterback for the entire second half, rounded out the Tigers’ 516 total yards on the ground, six yards shy of the school record set in this year’s season opener.

The starting Tiger defense moved its shutout streak to twelve quarters, and although the JV defense was scored upon Curtis was pleased with the unit’s performance.

Wawasee’s 121 yards of total offense included 67 yards in the air to Hunter Tinkey (35 yards), and Nathan Larsen (20 yards) along with Ringler’s TD reception. Brandon Kelly led the Warriors’ rushing effort with 23 yards followed by Brown’s 20 yards.

Warsaw (6-1, 5-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference) hosts Northwood (4-3, 3-2) for football, band and cheer Senior Night Friday. The Warriors (1-6, 1-4) host Mishawaka (5-2, 3-2) Friday as well.



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