Sectional Title On The Line When Warsaw Visits Carroll
November 3, 2022 at 10:28 p.m.
Sectional Title On The Line When Warsaw Visits Carroll
By Steve Krah-
That’s what Warsaw (8-2) will have when the Tigers travel to Fort Wayne to play Carroll (10-0) Friday, Nov. 4 in the IHSAA Class 6A Sectional 2 final. Kickoff at Gorsuch Complex is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Warsaw’s other sectional title came in 2019 when the Tigers topped visiting Penn. Before that, WCHS was 0-7 in sectional championship games.
Since 1985, the program is 17-37 in the IHSAA tournament. That includes a 36-0 loss in first-round sectional play at Carroll in 2021 as the Chargers finished 10-2.
The 2022 Warsaw team advanced to the sectional championship game by getting past Elkhart 14-9 Friday, Oct. 28 at Fisher Field.
Trailing 9-7, the Tigers went up 14-9 with a 2-yard run by sophomore Drew Sullivan and sophomore Mason Smythe kick at 4:56 of the fourth quarter.
The drive featured a 40-yard run by senior Theo Katris.
On the ensuing possession, Elkhart got as deep as the Warsaw 36. On fourth-and-15 at the 41, the Tigers defended a long pass and made the Lions turn it over on downs with 51 seconds to play and ran out the clock.
Elkhart scored first early in the second quarter, missed the extra point and Warsaw took a 7-6 lead into halftime thanks to a 5-yard touchdown run by German Flores-Ortega and Smythe kick at 5:42 of the second quarter.
A third-quarter field goal gave the Lions a 9-7 lead.
Not counting the kneel-downs at the end, the Tigers had five offensive possessions on the night, resulting in a punt, touchdown and missed field goal in the first half and punt and touchdown in the second half.
Warsaw coach Bart Curtis estimates that Theo Katris and senior Trey Koontz played at least half the offensive snaps at halfback as well as all their defensive duties.
“It’s out of necessity,” said Curtis, referencing the lineup shuffle caused by injuries and suspensions. “We think we may have found a little something in Koontz and (sophomore) Ethan Egolf. They’ve done a nice job.
“(Senior) Haydin Rodriguez has been there all year. He probably had his best game as a high school football player Friday. He recovered a fumble by us late in the first half that could have been crucial.”
German-Ortega has 1,002 rushing yards this season and 1,705 with 28 TDs during his career.
The Tigers have turned the ball over 18 times in 2022. They have lost 14 or 26 fumbles. The defense has forced 22 turnovers, making Warsaw plus-4 in takeaway/giveaway ratio.
Curtis said practice at this time of year — when there is an accumulation of bumps and bruises — centers on repetition and film sessions and not on contact.
“Everything we do has to be smart reps,” said Curtis. “We’d like to get better than we actually are and continue to improve.”
The Associated Press No. 13-ranked Tigers have outpointed foes 316-136 with three shutouts.
“Defensively, we just keep slugging it out,” said Curtis.
Warsaw has led at the end of the first quarter in all but two of its contests. The Tigers trailed Mishawaka 8-0 and were tied 7-all with Northridge.
On seven occasions, Warsaw has been ahead at halftime. The exceptions are the Chesterton (down 7-3), NorthWood (down 28-14) and Mishawaka (down 23-6) games.
The Tigers have taken a lead into the fourth period seven times. Warsaw trailed NorthWood (35-14) and Mishawaka (35-12) and were tied with Northridge (21-21).
In second-half scoring, the Tigers own a 116-66 edge, including 76-25 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s better to be playing well late than to be playing poor late for sure,” said Curtis.
Carroll made it to the sectional final by besting Penn 35-7 in Mishawaka.
The Doug Dinan-coached Chargers — champions of the Summit Athletic Conference and ranked No. 5 by both AP and the Indiana Football Coaches Association — have outscored opponents 408-75 with three shutouts.
“They are high-octane and well-coached,” said Curtis of Carroll. “They’re an aerial assault (on offense). They’re a ground assault.
“They’re very diverse in what they do.”
The Chargers have won 10 of last 11 at home, including five in 2022.
Curtis wants his team to embrace the road challenge.
“If you’re going to play deep into this tournament you’ve got to be able to adjust in any and all situations and play regardless,” said Curtis. “If you’re worried about things like game lights turning into strobe lights — none have anything to do with winning or losing — you’re probably already in trouble.”
Both probable starting quarterbacks have the last name Sullivan and are 10th graders.
Carroll sophomore Jimmy Sullivan has completed 151-of-231 passes for 1,821 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
The Chargers are led in rushing by sophomore Nathan Starks (142 carries for 915 yards and six TDs), junior Braden Steely (28 carries for 243 yards and eight TDs) and Sullivan (66 carries for 159 yards and eight TDs).
Pacing Carroll’s receiving corps is senior Camden Herschberger (47 catches for 637 yards and six TDs), junior Hansen Haffner (31 catches for 427 yards and 10 TDs), senior Jayden Hill (24 catches for 293 yards and three TDs), senior Cooper Rudolph (22 catches for 218 yards and one TD) and Nathan Starks (20 catches for 171 yards and two TDs).
The Chargers’ total tackles leaders are junior Ashotn Pesetski (52 with 11 sacks), senior Maxton Wiard (40), senior Dylan Bennett (38), junior Justin Anderson (34), senior Royce Jones (33 with nine sacks) and senior Jorge Valdes (33 with a team-high four interceptions).
Senior Sebastian Lopez is 42-of-48 on extra points and 2-of-5 on field goals.
Since 1985, Carroll is 33-37 in IHSAA tournament games with six sectional titles (the last in 2021).
Sagarin ratings have the Chargers No. 5 overall and in 6A while the Tigers are 43rd overall and 19th in 6A.
John Harrell’s prediction: Carroll 42, Warsaw 10.
The regional on Nov. 11 will feature Warsaw or Carroll vs. the winner of Lafayette Jeff (8-2) vs. Crown Point (10-0). If the Tigers advance, they would go to Crown Point or host Jeff.
That’s what Warsaw (8-2) will have when the Tigers travel to Fort Wayne to play Carroll (10-0) Friday, Nov. 4 in the IHSAA Class 6A Sectional 2 final. Kickoff at Gorsuch Complex is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Warsaw’s other sectional title came in 2019 when the Tigers topped visiting Penn. Before that, WCHS was 0-7 in sectional championship games.
Since 1985, the program is 17-37 in the IHSAA tournament. That includes a 36-0 loss in first-round sectional play at Carroll in 2021 as the Chargers finished 10-2.
The 2022 Warsaw team advanced to the sectional championship game by getting past Elkhart 14-9 Friday, Oct. 28 at Fisher Field.
Trailing 9-7, the Tigers went up 14-9 with a 2-yard run by sophomore Drew Sullivan and sophomore Mason Smythe kick at 4:56 of the fourth quarter.
The drive featured a 40-yard run by senior Theo Katris.
On the ensuing possession, Elkhart got as deep as the Warsaw 36. On fourth-and-15 at the 41, the Tigers defended a long pass and made the Lions turn it over on downs with 51 seconds to play and ran out the clock.
Elkhart scored first early in the second quarter, missed the extra point and Warsaw took a 7-6 lead into halftime thanks to a 5-yard touchdown run by German Flores-Ortega and Smythe kick at 5:42 of the second quarter.
A third-quarter field goal gave the Lions a 9-7 lead.
Not counting the kneel-downs at the end, the Tigers had five offensive possessions on the night, resulting in a punt, touchdown and missed field goal in the first half and punt and touchdown in the second half.
Warsaw coach Bart Curtis estimates that Theo Katris and senior Trey Koontz played at least half the offensive snaps at halfback as well as all their defensive duties.
“It’s out of necessity,” said Curtis, referencing the lineup shuffle caused by injuries and suspensions. “We think we may have found a little something in Koontz and (sophomore) Ethan Egolf. They’ve done a nice job.
“(Senior) Haydin Rodriguez has been there all year. He probably had his best game as a high school football player Friday. He recovered a fumble by us late in the first half that could have been crucial.”
German-Ortega has 1,002 rushing yards this season and 1,705 with 28 TDs during his career.
The Tigers have turned the ball over 18 times in 2022. They have lost 14 or 26 fumbles. The defense has forced 22 turnovers, making Warsaw plus-4 in takeaway/giveaway ratio.
Curtis said practice at this time of year — when there is an accumulation of bumps and bruises — centers on repetition and film sessions and not on contact.
“Everything we do has to be smart reps,” said Curtis. “We’d like to get better than we actually are and continue to improve.”
The Associated Press No. 13-ranked Tigers have outpointed foes 316-136 with three shutouts.
“Defensively, we just keep slugging it out,” said Curtis.
Warsaw has led at the end of the first quarter in all but two of its contests. The Tigers trailed Mishawaka 8-0 and were tied 7-all with Northridge.
On seven occasions, Warsaw has been ahead at halftime. The exceptions are the Chesterton (down 7-3), NorthWood (down 28-14) and Mishawaka (down 23-6) games.
The Tigers have taken a lead into the fourth period seven times. Warsaw trailed NorthWood (35-14) and Mishawaka (35-12) and were tied with Northridge (21-21).
In second-half scoring, the Tigers own a 116-66 edge, including 76-25 in the fourth quarter.
“It’s better to be playing well late than to be playing poor late for sure,” said Curtis.
Carroll made it to the sectional final by besting Penn 35-7 in Mishawaka.
The Doug Dinan-coached Chargers — champions of the Summit Athletic Conference and ranked No. 5 by both AP and the Indiana Football Coaches Association — have outscored opponents 408-75 with three shutouts.
“They are high-octane and well-coached,” said Curtis of Carroll. “They’re an aerial assault (on offense). They’re a ground assault.
“They’re very diverse in what they do.”
The Chargers have won 10 of last 11 at home, including five in 2022.
Curtis wants his team to embrace the road challenge.
“If you’re going to play deep into this tournament you’ve got to be able to adjust in any and all situations and play regardless,” said Curtis. “If you’re worried about things like game lights turning into strobe lights — none have anything to do with winning or losing — you’re probably already in trouble.”
Both probable starting quarterbacks have the last name Sullivan and are 10th graders.
Carroll sophomore Jimmy Sullivan has completed 151-of-231 passes for 1,821 yards and 25 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
The Chargers are led in rushing by sophomore Nathan Starks (142 carries for 915 yards and six TDs), junior Braden Steely (28 carries for 243 yards and eight TDs) and Sullivan (66 carries for 159 yards and eight TDs).
Pacing Carroll’s receiving corps is senior Camden Herschberger (47 catches for 637 yards and six TDs), junior Hansen Haffner (31 catches for 427 yards and 10 TDs), senior Jayden Hill (24 catches for 293 yards and three TDs), senior Cooper Rudolph (22 catches for 218 yards and one TD) and Nathan Starks (20 catches for 171 yards and two TDs).
The Chargers’ total tackles leaders are junior Ashotn Pesetski (52 with 11 sacks), senior Maxton Wiard (40), senior Dylan Bennett (38), junior Justin Anderson (34), senior Royce Jones (33 with nine sacks) and senior Jorge Valdes (33 with a team-high four interceptions).
Senior Sebastian Lopez is 42-of-48 on extra points and 2-of-5 on field goals.
Since 1985, Carroll is 33-37 in IHSAA tournament games with six sectional titles (the last in 2021).
Sagarin ratings have the Chargers No. 5 overall and in 6A while the Tigers are 43rd overall and 19th in 6A.
John Harrell’s prediction: Carroll 42, Warsaw 10.
The regional on Nov. 11 will feature Warsaw or Carroll vs. the winner of Lafayette Jeff (8-2) vs. Crown Point (10-0). If the Tigers advance, they would go to Crown Point or host Jeff.
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