Tiger Defense Grounds Eagles
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
COLUMBIA CITY - It hasn't reached the level of Notre Dame's gridiron dominance of the Naval Academy, which is now at 42 games, but Warsaw continued its win streak over U.S. 30 rival Columbia City Friday night.
The Tigers opened the football season with a 15-0 victory over the host Eagles at Max Gandy Athletic Field, marking the ninth consecutive season Warsaw has won its season opener against Columbia City.
In the all-time series, the Tigers hold a 41-17 advantage. There have been two ties.
The teams stopped playing in 1978 and didn't play again until 1997. Warsaw has won 13 of the past 15 meetings with Columbia City.
Friday's win was a tale of two halves.
Offensively, the Tigers looked like a team playing its first game of the season in the first half. In the second half, Warsaw found some rhythm and used two well-executed plays by senior quarterback Tyler Akers to put some points on the board.
Meanwhile, the Tiger defense had little trouble in keeping the host Eagles off the scoreboard.
"I really felt like we were in good physical shape," said third-year Warsaw coach Troy Akers. "I thought in the second half we could do some things that could exploit what Columbia City was trying to do defensively. They kept sending blitzing linebackers. It's hard to pick up those reads in the first game of the season. In the second half we were able to do some things offensivley. And you have to tip your hat to the defense, five turnovers, that was big."
After a scoreless first half, Warsaw started the third quarter on offense and quickly put points on the board when Akers and senior receiver Chas Simpson connected for a 50-yard touchdown toss.
Sophomore Micah Price's extra-point kick split the uprights, giving the Tigers a 7-0 advantage with 8:25 to play in the third quarter.
Akers scored the second and final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter when he faked a pitch to the right and came back to his left and waltzed into the endzone untouched.
After a low snap on the extra-point attempt, Akers scooped the ball up and then found classmate Tommy Reinholt open for a two-point conversion pass, giving the the Tigers a 15-0 lead with 10:02 remaining in the game.
"That was just a heads-up play by two good athletes," Akers said of his son's pass to Reinholt, who started at linebacker and also caught a 13-yard pass for a first down while playing tight end.
Junior running back Ben Davis III set up Akers' touchdown trot, rushing for 14 yards on the previous play. Davis finished the game with 53 yards on eight carries.
The Tiger defense intercepted four passes from Columbia City quarterback Cole Hinen, with Justin Hanson pulling down two errant passes and Thomas Justice and Aaron West each picking off a pass.
Warsaw's defense also recovered a fumble, while the Tiger offense didn't turn the ball over.
"The defense came ready to play," said Akers, who was Warsaw's defensive coordinator for eight years prior to taking over the head coaching duties. "Five turnovers. We played about 20 kids on defense. We kept them fresh, had kids running in and out."
Like any game, especially the first game of the season, Akers said there were positives and negatives with his team's performance.
With the game on the line, Warsaw's offense scored when it needed to. The Tiger defense was stingy all night, holding Columbia City to 55 yards passing and 33 yards on the ground on 22 carries.
On the other hand though, Warsaw was whistled for seven penalties for 70 yards and had execution problems on special teams.
Columbia City blocked a Warsaw field goal attempt, broke through the line and tackled Tiger punter Scott Harman for a 13-yard loss and there was the low snap on the extra-point attempt.
"The biggest disappointment was the penalties," said Akers. "We had kids that acted like they didn't know the rules of football. What killed us were penalites, but we didn't have any turnovers, so that was good."
Akers finished the game 12 of 21 through the air for 138 yards. Junior Ben Higgins, replacing Akers for a short time after he was injured, attempted one pass, an eight-yard completion to Hanson.
Hanson also carried the ball eight times for 41 yards. Simpson finished the game with four catches for 94 yards.
For Columbia City, Spencer Pease pounded out 22 yards on 15 carries, while Hinen completed 5 of 14 passes for 55 yards.
Warsaw is in action again Friday when it hosts Homestead at 7 p.m.
WARSAW 15, COL. CITY 0
Warsaw 0 0 7 8 - 15
Col. City 0 0 0 0 - 0
W CC
First downs 10 5
Rushing yards 111 33
Passing yards 146 55
Comp.-Att.-Int. 13-22-0 5-14-4
Total offense 257 88
Fumbles/lost 2/0 1/1
Punts/avg. 5-31.6 3-30.3
Penalties/yards 7-70 5-35
Third Quarter
W - Tyler Akers 50 pass to Chas Simpson (Micah Price kick) 8:25, 7-0
Fourth Quarter
W - Akers 16 run (Akers conversion pass to Tommy Reinholt) 10:02, 15-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Akers 11-(-3), Ben Davis 8-53, Justin Hanso 8-41, Andrew Grimm 3-25, Andy Conrad 2-5, Cody Kindle 1-3, Scott Harman 1-(-13); Columbia City, Spencer Pease 15-22, Logan Myer 4-9, Cole Hinen 2-4, Nic Sisco 1-(-2)
Passing - Warsaw, Akers 12-21-138, 1 TD, 0 INT, Ben Higgins 1-1-8, 0 TD, 0 INT; Columbia City, Hinen 5-14-55, O TD, 4 INT
Receiving - Warsaw, Simpson 4-94, Reinholt 1-13, Hanson 1-8, Blaine Allen 1-7, Aaron West 1-6, Grimm 1-4, Harman 1-3, Daniel Conrad 1-0, Brad Waikel 1-0; Columbia City, Sisco 3-39, Kory Bailey 1-9, Pease 1-7 [[In-content Ad]]
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COLUMBIA CITY - It hasn't reached the level of Notre Dame's gridiron dominance of the Naval Academy, which is now at 42 games, but Warsaw continued its win streak over U.S. 30 rival Columbia City Friday night.
The Tigers opened the football season with a 15-0 victory over the host Eagles at Max Gandy Athletic Field, marking the ninth consecutive season Warsaw has won its season opener against Columbia City.
In the all-time series, the Tigers hold a 41-17 advantage. There have been two ties.
The teams stopped playing in 1978 and didn't play again until 1997. Warsaw has won 13 of the past 15 meetings with Columbia City.
Friday's win was a tale of two halves.
Offensively, the Tigers looked like a team playing its first game of the season in the first half. In the second half, Warsaw found some rhythm and used two well-executed plays by senior quarterback Tyler Akers to put some points on the board.
Meanwhile, the Tiger defense had little trouble in keeping the host Eagles off the scoreboard.
"I really felt like we were in good physical shape," said third-year Warsaw coach Troy Akers. "I thought in the second half we could do some things that could exploit what Columbia City was trying to do defensively. They kept sending blitzing linebackers. It's hard to pick up those reads in the first game of the season. In the second half we were able to do some things offensivley. And you have to tip your hat to the defense, five turnovers, that was big."
After a scoreless first half, Warsaw started the third quarter on offense and quickly put points on the board when Akers and senior receiver Chas Simpson connected for a 50-yard touchdown toss.
Sophomore Micah Price's extra-point kick split the uprights, giving the Tigers a 7-0 advantage with 8:25 to play in the third quarter.
Akers scored the second and final touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter when he faked a pitch to the right and came back to his left and waltzed into the endzone untouched.
After a low snap on the extra-point attempt, Akers scooped the ball up and then found classmate Tommy Reinholt open for a two-point conversion pass, giving the the Tigers a 15-0 lead with 10:02 remaining in the game.
"That was just a heads-up play by two good athletes," Akers said of his son's pass to Reinholt, who started at linebacker and also caught a 13-yard pass for a first down while playing tight end.
Junior running back Ben Davis III set up Akers' touchdown trot, rushing for 14 yards on the previous play. Davis finished the game with 53 yards on eight carries.
The Tiger defense intercepted four passes from Columbia City quarterback Cole Hinen, with Justin Hanson pulling down two errant passes and Thomas Justice and Aaron West each picking off a pass.
Warsaw's defense also recovered a fumble, while the Tiger offense didn't turn the ball over.
"The defense came ready to play," said Akers, who was Warsaw's defensive coordinator for eight years prior to taking over the head coaching duties. "Five turnovers. We played about 20 kids on defense. We kept them fresh, had kids running in and out."
Like any game, especially the first game of the season, Akers said there were positives and negatives with his team's performance.
With the game on the line, Warsaw's offense scored when it needed to. The Tiger defense was stingy all night, holding Columbia City to 55 yards passing and 33 yards on the ground on 22 carries.
On the other hand though, Warsaw was whistled for seven penalties for 70 yards and had execution problems on special teams.
Columbia City blocked a Warsaw field goal attempt, broke through the line and tackled Tiger punter Scott Harman for a 13-yard loss and there was the low snap on the extra-point attempt.
"The biggest disappointment was the penalties," said Akers. "We had kids that acted like they didn't know the rules of football. What killed us were penalites, but we didn't have any turnovers, so that was good."
Akers finished the game 12 of 21 through the air for 138 yards. Junior Ben Higgins, replacing Akers for a short time after he was injured, attempted one pass, an eight-yard completion to Hanson.
Hanson also carried the ball eight times for 41 yards. Simpson finished the game with four catches for 94 yards.
For Columbia City, Spencer Pease pounded out 22 yards on 15 carries, while Hinen completed 5 of 14 passes for 55 yards.
Warsaw is in action again Friday when it hosts Homestead at 7 p.m.
WARSAW 15, COL. CITY 0
Warsaw 0 0 7 8 - 15
Col. City 0 0 0 0 - 0
W CC
First downs 10 5
Rushing yards 111 33
Passing yards 146 55
Comp.-Att.-Int. 13-22-0 5-14-4
Total offense 257 88
Fumbles/lost 2/0 1/1
Punts/avg. 5-31.6 3-30.3
Penalties/yards 7-70 5-35
Third Quarter
W - Tyler Akers 50 pass to Chas Simpson (Micah Price kick) 8:25, 7-0
Fourth Quarter
W - Akers 16 run (Akers conversion pass to Tommy Reinholt) 10:02, 15-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing - Warsaw, Akers 11-(-3), Ben Davis 8-53, Justin Hanso 8-41, Andrew Grimm 3-25, Andy Conrad 2-5, Cody Kindle 1-3, Scott Harman 1-(-13); Columbia City, Spencer Pease 15-22, Logan Myer 4-9, Cole Hinen 2-4, Nic Sisco 1-(-2)
Passing - Warsaw, Akers 12-21-138, 1 TD, 0 INT, Ben Higgins 1-1-8, 0 TD, 0 INT; Columbia City, Hinen 5-14-55, O TD, 4 INT
Receiving - Warsaw, Simpson 4-94, Reinholt 1-13, Hanson 1-8, Blaine Allen 1-7, Aaron West 1-6, Grimm 1-4, Harman 1-3, Daniel Conrad 1-0, Brad Waikel 1-0; Columbia City, Sisco 3-39, Kory Bailey 1-9, Pease 1-7 [[In-content Ad]]