After giving up a total of just six points in the last three games, Warsaw's defense needs to remain stingy as the high-octane Homestead Spartans come to Fisher Field Friday for a Class 5A Sectional 3 semifinal showdown.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m., with the winner playing Fort Wayne Snider (8-2) or Fort Wayne North Side (3-7) in next week's sectional championship game."It's all about surviving and advancing," said Warsaw coach Phil Jensen, whose Tigers took a 10-0 lead at Homestead in Week 2 before losing 31-17. "It's not about a grudge from earlier this season, it's about being able to practice next week and play for a sectional championship."
Warsaw enters Friday's game with a 6-4 record and on a five-game winning streak, while Homestead boasts a 9-1 record and an offense that averages 38 points per game.
Three weeks ago, the Tigers held perrenial Class 3A power NorthWood to six points.
A week later, Warsaw shutout a Concord team that was averaging 32 points per contest.
Last week, the Tigers opened sectional play by holding the Northrop bruins scoreless and to just 99 yards of offense.
The last time a Warsaw allowed just six points over a three-game stretch was 1972, when Tom Dohrmann's Tigers beat NorthWood 27-0, Wabash 24-6 and Manchester 28-0.
"That's a credit to the defensive staff and the kids," Jensen said of the way his defense has improved as the season has gone on. "We've had a lot of kids grow up. We've got young kids out there like (Cameron) Fritzel, (Clay) Anderson, (Cody) Bragg, (Keegan) Bruner and (Jeremy) Lehman. The kids have really grown up and are playing well."
Fritzel, Anderson, Bruner and Lehman are sophomores, while Bragg is a junior.
The Tiger defense also features seniors Brandon Head, Chris Veneracion, Nick Simpson, Matt Franco, Tom Daniels, Brendan Barber and junior Matt Abbitt.
Seniors James Leeper, Josh Anglin and Larry McClelland were a big part of Warsaw's defense but are out with injuries.
Against Homestead, Warsaw's defense - which is +13 in the turnover category this season - will need to be up to the challenge again, as the Spartans feature a number of offensive threats, most notably 6-foot-3, 185-pound sophomore quarterback Zach Terrell.
"The worst part is he's just a sophomore," Jensen said of Terrell. "Playing good players is one thing, but we know we're going to have to play him for two more years. He's a very gifted young man."
In their regular-season matchup in August, Terrell threw for 172 yards and a touchdown against the Tigers. Warsaw's defense did come up with two interceptions.
Through 10 games this season, Terrell has completed 133 of 202 passes for 1,818 yards. He has thrown 24 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Terrell is also Homestead's leading rusher, having carried the ball 118 times for 704 yards and 12 touchdowns.
"In Game 2, he wasn't at his best yet," Homestead coach Chad Zolman said of his talented, young quarterback. "He's continued to get better. He understands what we want him to do with the offense, and he comes in and gives us 100 percent. As far as sophomores go, we're having a hard time remembering one that's as good as him as sophomore."
Also for Homestead, Cody Appenzeller has rushed the ball 92 times for 593 yards and five touchdowns, while Steven Espinoza has carried the ball 74 times for 502 yards and six scores.
"Homestead is a very good football team," said Jensen. "That's why we put them on the schedule all these years ago."
Colin Hanruff leads Homestead's receiving corps with 43 catches for 739 yards and eight touchdowns, while Conor Prices has caught 26 passes for 396 yards and six touchdowns, and Appenzeller has 28 receptions 248 yards and three scores.
Four of Homestead's receivers have scored a touchdown this season from at least 42 yards out.
When the Spartans hosted the Tigers in Week 2, however, it was the Warsaw offensive that came up with the first big play, as senior running back Andy Conrad broke free for an 81-yard run that set up a 1-yard Justin Clemens touchdown plunge.
"Conrad really sticks out on offense for Warsaw," said Zolman. "He's hard to bring down, and he's got good speed. Last time he scored an 80-yard touchdown on us. Clemens sticks out as well. He's big, and he's a good-looking athlete. Warsaw looks solid. They're very well-coacthed, and we're expecting a tough game."
Conrad, who rushed for 130 yards against Homestead in Week 2, has carried the ball 220 times for 1,282 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
Clemens has rushed 98 times for 340 yards and six touchdowns.
Through the air, Clemens has completed 51 of 130 passes for 664 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
The majority of those completions went to senior Zack Linky, who has 25 receptions for 349 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior Lucas Denlinger has caught eight passes for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Clemens' other touchdown pass this season went to Bragg, a 17-yard pass, in last week's win over Northrop.
Junior Tyler Adams has rushed for 213 yards and a touchdown on 60 carries for the Tigers.
In Warsaw's current five-game win streak, Adams has found himself playing fullback in front of Conrad, and it has worked out for the Tigers.
"We went back to being more of a running team," said Jensen, whose Tigers started the season with a 1-4 record but have since become a more confident team. "We went back to the I formation and what we do best. Justin is doing a good job running the offense, and we're doing a good job taking care of the ball."
