Tigers Ground Eagles
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
"With some of the plays we made, it was definitely above average," Akers said of the Tigers' 20-6 season-opening win over visiting Columbia City.[[In-content Ad]]"It wasn't perfection, but we did some good things. I'd give us a B. We played a lot of kids, and there were a lot of kids that stepped up and made plays. We're going to have to get better each week. Our opponents are going to get better, I know that. Homestead is our final tuneup before we open play in the NLC. Our opponents are going to get better, we have to be ready for that."
The Tigers travel to Fort Wayne Friday to play the Homestead Spartans, the team that ended Warsaw's season in the second round of the state tournament last season. On August 31, Warsaw hosts Plymouth in the Northern Lakes Conference opener for both teams.
Friday night marked the 10th consecutive year the Tigers have opened the season with a win over Columbia City.
"I was pleased with our senior leadership," said Akers, whose team's roster includes 20 seniors. "We're down a few seniors, but the seniors made tonight special. We also had several young kids that stepped up and made plays."
It was a senior quarterback-receiver combo that put the Tigers on the board first, as Ben Higgins connected on a 33-yard scoring strike to Daniel Conrad with 6:21 remaining to play in the first quarter. Sophomore Matt Franco's kick gave Warsaw a 7-0 lead.
Both Higgins and Conrad suffered season-ending knee injuries last year as juniors. Neither, however, showed any ill effects of those injuries Friday night.
The 6-foot-4 Higgins completed his first four pass attempts of the game for a total of 59 yards, while Conrad, a big target with his 6-4, 207-pound frame, had three catches for 57 yards in the first half.
Higgins finished the game 8 of 15 for 116 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Conrad pulled in five catches for 81 yards.
"It was medical history," Akers said when asked about Higgins and Conrad looking so strong, just months after having major knee surgery. "It just shows how things have changed in the medical field. Both kids worked hard to come back. We were blessed tonight to have them on the field after the injuries they suffered last year."
Having Conrad's brother, sophomore running back Andy Conrad, didn't hurt either.
The talented and speedy underclassman, listed at 6-1 and 192 pounds, carried the ball 14 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
"He will get better every game," Akers said of the younger Conrad. "You didn't even see Ben Davis or Cody Kindle as much as you will. Those three kids are going to get a lot of carries this year."
Kindle, a junior rushed seven times for 20 yards, while Davis totaled seven yards on three carries. Davis also time on the defensive line and finished the night with a sack. Leonard Wells added two sacks for the Tigers.
In the second half, sophomore Brenden Barber carried five times for 16 yards for the Tigers.
The younger Conrad dazzled the crowd with a 50-yard run and a 40-yard scamper.
His 50-yard run set up his first touchdown, a 7-yard scamper that gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 11:14 to play in the first half.
A 5-yard run by the younger Conrad gave the host Tigers a 20-0 lead with 3:04 to play in the second quarter. Franco's kick was blocked, and Warsaw had more than enough points to hold off the Eagles for the 10th straight season.
Columbia City scored its lone touchdown of the game with 5:16 remaining in the fourth quarter when Justin Lilly barrelled his way win from three yards out. The Eagles' extra-point attempt failed.
Lilly led the Eagles' ground game with 17 carries for 84 yards. Quarterback Jake Smith, under pressure most of the night from Warsaw's interior defense, was charged with 10 carries for negative 31 yards.
Smith finished the game 6 of 14 for 67 yards with two interceptions. Kory Bailey caught all six of Smith's passes.
In all, Warsaw put together 282 yards of offense while holding the Eagles to 130 yards of offense.
Latest News
E-Editions
"With some of the plays we made, it was definitely above average," Akers said of the Tigers' 20-6 season-opening win over visiting Columbia City.[[In-content Ad]]"It wasn't perfection, but we did some good things. I'd give us a B. We played a lot of kids, and there were a lot of kids that stepped up and made plays. We're going to have to get better each week. Our opponents are going to get better, I know that. Homestead is our final tuneup before we open play in the NLC. Our opponents are going to get better, we have to be ready for that."
The Tigers travel to Fort Wayne Friday to play the Homestead Spartans, the team that ended Warsaw's season in the second round of the state tournament last season. On August 31, Warsaw hosts Plymouth in the Northern Lakes Conference opener for both teams.
Friday night marked the 10th consecutive year the Tigers have opened the season with a win over Columbia City.
"I was pleased with our senior leadership," said Akers, whose team's roster includes 20 seniors. "We're down a few seniors, but the seniors made tonight special. We also had several young kids that stepped up and made plays."
It was a senior quarterback-receiver combo that put the Tigers on the board first, as Ben Higgins connected on a 33-yard scoring strike to Daniel Conrad with 6:21 remaining to play in the first quarter. Sophomore Matt Franco's kick gave Warsaw a 7-0 lead.
Both Higgins and Conrad suffered season-ending knee injuries last year as juniors. Neither, however, showed any ill effects of those injuries Friday night.
The 6-foot-4 Higgins completed his first four pass attempts of the game for a total of 59 yards, while Conrad, a big target with his 6-4, 207-pound frame, had three catches for 57 yards in the first half.
Higgins finished the game 8 of 15 for 116 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Conrad pulled in five catches for 81 yards.
"It was medical history," Akers said when asked about Higgins and Conrad looking so strong, just months after having major knee surgery. "It just shows how things have changed in the medical field. Both kids worked hard to come back. We were blessed tonight to have them on the field after the injuries they suffered last year."
Having Conrad's brother, sophomore running back Andy Conrad, didn't hurt either.
The talented and speedy underclassman, listed at 6-1 and 192 pounds, carried the ball 14 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns.
"He will get better every game," Akers said of the younger Conrad. "You didn't even see Ben Davis or Cody Kindle as much as you will. Those three kids are going to get a lot of carries this year."
Kindle, a junior rushed seven times for 20 yards, while Davis totaled seven yards on three carries. Davis also time on the defensive line and finished the night with a sack. Leonard Wells added two sacks for the Tigers.
In the second half, sophomore Brenden Barber carried five times for 16 yards for the Tigers.
The younger Conrad dazzled the crowd with a 50-yard run and a 40-yard scamper.
His 50-yard run set up his first touchdown, a 7-yard scamper that gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 11:14 to play in the first half.
A 5-yard run by the younger Conrad gave the host Tigers a 20-0 lead with 3:04 to play in the second quarter. Franco's kick was blocked, and Warsaw had more than enough points to hold off the Eagles for the 10th straight season.
Columbia City scored its lone touchdown of the game with 5:16 remaining in the fourth quarter when Justin Lilly barrelled his way win from three yards out. The Eagles' extra-point attempt failed.
Lilly led the Eagles' ground game with 17 carries for 84 yards. Quarterback Jake Smith, under pressure most of the night from Warsaw's interior defense, was charged with 10 carries for negative 31 yards.
Smith finished the game 6 of 14 for 67 yards with two interceptions. Kory Bailey caught all six of Smith's passes.
In all, Warsaw put together 282 yards of offense while holding the Eagles to 130 yards of offense.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092