WARSAW — Teetering on the breaking point but not reaching it, Warsaw has kept its special 2024 high school football season going.
The past two weeks, the Tigers have slayed giants.
Warsaw earned the school’s second sectional title with a 31-28 win at Associated Press and Indiana Football Coaches Association No. 1 and previously-unbeaten Concord, scoring the game-winning points with 12.9 seconds to go in the fourth quarter on Nov. 8.
The Tigers followed that up with the program’s first regional crown on a 44-27 home triumph against AP/IFCA No. 2, previously-undefeated and fast-paced Lafayette Jeff on Nov. 15.
“They certainly did a great job of stressing us with their (hurry-up) offense,” said Warsaw coach Bart Curtis of the Bronchos who ran 71 offensive plays. “We did not break.”
On Friday, Nov. 22, another gridiron Goliath — AP No. 3/IFCA No. 3 Merrillville — comes to AP No. 9/IFCA No. 10 at Fisher Field for a 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time semistate showdown.
“They’re a rare combination of highly-skilled kids along with some great schemes and they look physically very strong,” said Curtis of the Pirates (coached by 2002 Warsaw graduate Brad Seiss). “And they play hard.”
At 258-122 in his 33rd season as a head coach, Curtis is No. 8 on the win list among active coaches.
The IFCA Hall of Famer sees comparable traits in 2024 opponents and the Pirates. His is 57-20 in his seventh season at Warsaw.
“Physically, maybe a good measure of Concord and Michigan City in some regards,” said Curtis. “They are very physical, very diverse and very stout on defense.”
With last week’s 48-14 win against Valpo, Merrillville earned its 11th regional title. The Pirates’ only loss came against Duneland Athletic Conference champion and 6A AP No. 2/IFCA No. 3 Crown Point, a 46-13 decision in Week 3. That means Merrillville is on a nine-game win streak.
Warsaw is second only to Valpo in enrollment in 5A.
The Tigers lost 34-0 to 6A Warren Central in Week 2. The other two losses came against Concord (28-24) in Week 5 and Plymouth (33-32 in overtime) in Week 6. Warsaw has won their past six games.
The winner between the 11-1 Merrillville and 9-3 Warsaw advances to the 5A state championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Friday’s southern 5A semistate pits AP/IFCA No. 4 Decatur Central (9-2) against AP No. 6/IFCA No. 9 Bloomington South (8-4).
“We don’t think there is anybody left by accident,” says Curtis. “We’re getting better, have gotten healthy and we’re playing with a lot of purpose right now.”
Senior Drew Sullivan, who missed chunks of the past two seasons because of injury, came back in the first round of the playoffs and has now started 14 games at quarterback over the past three seasons. He carried 32 times for 311 yards against Jeff.
“He’s a battler and warrior,” says Curtis of Sullivan. “He never flinches.”
Warsaw scored 23 of the game’s last 29 points against Jeff.
The Tigers, which led 21-13 at halftime, broke a 21-all tie with a safety at 1:06 of the third quarter. A snap by the Bronchos went over the punter’s head resulted in two points for Warsaw and Jeff free-kicking to the Tigers.
Three players later, a 7-yard touchdown run by junior halfback Quinton Brock and extra point by senior kicker Mason Smythe made it 30-21 at 11:55 of the fourth quarter.
“That was huge,” said Curtis.
After a TD pass and failed on a two-point attempt by Jeff cut the gap to 30-27, Brock took a pitch from Sullivan and a “Rocket Toss Pass” to senior split end Ethan Egolf produced a 15-yard TD on fourth down-and-6 and Smythe added the kick
Moments after senior linebacker Gavin Schultz caused a fumble and sophomore lineman Grady Nelson recovered it, Sullivan ran up the middle for a 13-yard TD at 2:21. Smythe booted the extra point and it was 44-27.
“Our defense played very well in dangerous spots,” said Curtis. “Our offensive line played a pretty good game.”
As the Tigers prepare for semistate and the community brims with excitement, Curtis and company are focused on the task at hand.
“Here’s what we believe is important: Monday is a Monday, Tuesday is a Tuesday, Wednesday is a Wednesday etc. etc.,” said Curtis. “We don’t operate well as a program — I don’t think children do in general — when we get out of a structured, disciplined routine. All the folly and hoopla is all really neat. But the important thing is we stay on-schedule with how we do things.”
Adding to the buzz is the homecoming of former Tigers standout Seiss.
Said Curtis, “As long as Brad’s not suiting up Friday night, I don’t think there’s any added hoopla.”
This will be the second postseason meeting between the two schools. In 2019, Warsaw visited Merrillville in a 6A regional and the Tigers left Demaree Stadium with a 42-28 loss.
It was the second season on the Warsaw sidelines for Curtis and fifth guiding the Pirates for Seiss.
Said Curtis, “I don’t think that has any impact — good, bad or indifferent — on what happens Friday night.”
Warsaw scores at a 34.4 clip and yields 18.7. The Tigers have been at 35 points or higher six times. While there are no total shutouts for Warsaw, the No. 1 defense has blanked teams.
The Tigers have gained 3,843 total yards (320.3 per game) with 3,345 and 278.8 coming via the run. Opponents have 1,510 rushing yards and 1,828 passing.
Warsaw has amassed 200 first downs (174 rushing) compared to 154 (72 rushing, 72 passing for opponents).
Conversion rates include 57 on third down and 75 on fourth down. The other teams have been successful on 31 percent of third downs and 44 percent of fourth downs.
The Tigers have been in the Red Zone 28 times with 25 touchdowns and two field goals. Opponents have 13 TD’s and two field goals one 24 visits to the zone.
The Tigers have lost 10-of-17 fumbles (12-of-13 for opponents).
On the season, Brock has 80 carries for 765 yards and 10 TD’s, Sullivan 138 carries for 739 yards and seven TD’s, junior fullback Brody Duncan 146 carries for 641 yards and six TD’s, sophomore halfback Tucker Reed 30 carries for 385 yards and nine TD’s, senior halfback Evan Davis 29 carries for 249 yards and three TD’s and junior fullback Daylon Fitzpatrick 48 carries for 249 yards and four TD’s
In passing, Sullivan is 17-of-41 for 310 yards and three TD’s with four interceptions and Brock is 13-of-23 for six TD’s and one interception.
Egolf has 21 receptions for 300 yards and five TD’s and Brock three catches for 78 yards and two TD’s.
Smythe has connected on 50-of-52 extra points, 4-of-6 field goals with 45-of-73 kickoffs for touchbacks and 5-of-13 punts inside the 20.
Reed has returned two kickoffs for TD’s and senior Tristan Wilson one. Brock might have joined that club if not for a tackle by the Jeff kicker. Wilson averages 32.1 yards per return and Reed 29.9.
Warsaw tackle point leaders are sophomore linebacker Matthew Flores-Ortega (101), Wilson (87), senior back Daylor Vilamaa (83), senior linebacker Jayden Habegger (81) and senior linebacker Cohen Heady (67).
Heady (7), Flores-Ortega (6), Habegger (6), Vilamaa (3.5) and Wilson (3.5) lead in tackles for loss. Nelson (3) and Schultz (3) are tops in sacks.
Nelson (3) and Flores-Ortega (2) lead in fumble recoveries. Flores-Ortega (2) and Habegger (2) have the most forced fumbles.
Interception leaders are Wilson (5) and Heady (2). Warsaw has forced 25 turnovers this season, including 13 interceptions. The Tigers are plus-10 in the takeaway/giveaway margin.
Warsaw’s all-time playoff record is 21-39 (8-6 under Curtis) and Merrillville is 77-41 (24-9 under Seiss).
Seiss explains what has gotten Merrillville to this point. After five games, the Pirates kicked it into overdrive.
Even though the team was off to a 4-1 start with shutout wins against Andrean and LaPorte, a loss to Crown Point and wins against Portage and Michigan City (a team Warsaw played in Week 1), Seiss and his coaches did not think the club was playing very well so they switched up the routine in Week 6.
“We gave the kids off the Monday before we played LaPorte. We went good-on-good the entire week and since then we clicked.
“It’s just a body of work and continually getting better each week.”
Merrillville scores 35.4 points per game and gives up 12.1.
In the regional, junior running back Jac’Quarious Johnson rushed for 224 yards and two TD’s, sophomore running back Cameron Jordan ran for 109 yards and two TD’s, senior wideout John Peters caught one TD pass, sophomore Michael Hill ran for one TD and junior Jordan Sanders passed for a TD.
The Pirates’ defense pitched shutouts against 2A Andrean, 4A Hobart and 5A LaPorte and allowed just six points against 5A Hammond Central and seven against 5A Valparaiso (regular season).
Seiss says Merrillville’s defense starts on the line.
Three-year starter Adam Camphor has been touted as a 2024 Mr. Indiana Football candidate. The 6-foot-1, 315-pounder plays nose tackle and is committed to Southeast Missouri State University.
Trenton Nixon, who had an interception and recovered a fumble for a TD in the regional, is an outside linebacker/defensive end headed to Northern Illinois University.
“This week is a challenge because we play against a style we don’t see all year,” says Seiss of Warsaw’s Flexbone attack. “We’ve played option teams before so we’ll do the best we can.”
In the Sagarin Ratings, Merrillville (91.61) is ninth overall and No. 1 in 5A and Warsaw (85.43) is 17th overall and No. 3 in 5A.
John Harrell predicts a 31-24 win for Merrillville.
Admission for adults and students is $12. All tickets will be digital through the holder’s mobile phone. The link: https://public.eventlink.com/tickets?t=103509&p=159400.