Playing their first of three straight games on the road to start the season, the Warsaw Tigers offense wasn’t there for all four quarters against Michigan City on Friday night, but that didn’t matter. A big second half was all the visitors needed to come away with a 17-13 season-opening victory. Warsaw begins its campaign 1-0 for the ninth straight season.
The Tigers used a familiar tool to grind away at the Michigan City defense to the tune of 17 second-half points: the run game. Warsaw rushed for 273 yards in the contest off of 52 carries, good enough for just over five yards an attempt. The visitors tried just two passes on the night, completing one for 34 yards. In total, the Tigers out gained their opponents by just under 100 yards, 307 to 211.
Trailing by a touchdown at halftime, Warsaw made the most of its opportunities in the third quarter. The team’s first touchdown of the season came just under four minutes after the half off of a one-yard rush by senior fullback Reed Zollinger. The ensuing PAT tied the game, but Warsaw wasn’t done there. A 26-yard field goal by junior Mason Smythe would come just five minutes later and give Warsaw its first lead of the night.
However, more work was needed. With just under six minutes to go, Michigan City regained the lead on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Bush to Olijah Collins, the duo’s second end zone connection of the night. The final score from the home side would not matter though, as just over a minute later, senior halfback Leyton Isbell would break free and go the distance, 71 yards, for a score that would put the Tigers on top for good.
With the victory, Warsaw is now 9-2 in regular season nonconference games under head coach Bart Curtis. Curtis notched his 40th win at Warsaw Friday night, putting him just two behind tying Bill Goshert (1956-1964) for third all-time on the school’s leaderboard.
Tiger football plays its second of three straight road contests next week at Chesterton. Warsaw won last year’s matchup 24-7.