Homestead Ends Warsaw's Season

FORT WAYNE - When it's all said and done, third-year Warsaw Community High School football coach Troy Akers said, people will be talking about Justin Clemens.

Friday night, as the talented freshman made his first varsity start at quarterback for the Tigers, however, it was Homestead senior signal caller Jordan Wise who was in the spotlight.

Wise completed 10 of 18 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted a Clemens pass in the second half while leading the Spartans to a 26-7 win over the visiting Tigers in Sectional 3 semifinal action.

"When it's all said and done, people will be talking about Justin Clemens," said Akers, whose Tigers finished the season with a 2-9 record. "He'll be a household name."

The win improved Homestead to 10-1 on the season. The Spartans will play Fort Wayne Snider (9-2) in the sectional championship Friday. Snider, ranked 10th in the final Class 5A poll, beat seventh-ranked Marion (9-2) 60-0.

Clemens, who had been starting at tight end, got the call at quarterback after senior Tyler Akers suffered a knee injury in last week's sectional-opening win over Carroll. Junior Ben Higgins suffered a season-ending knee injury in the eighth game of the regular season at NorthWood.

Though his inexeperience showed at times, as some of his passes were overthrown and some underthrown, Clemens provided a number of bright spots on a night that was rainy and dreary.

With the Tigers trailing 6-0, Clemens found junior receiver Daniel Conrad for a 27-yard pass that moved the ball to Homestead's 2-yard line.

After a one-yard loss on the next play, Clemens rocketed a three-yard pass through traffic and into the hands of senior Tommy Reinholt for a touchdown.

Freshman Matt Franco's kick gave Warsaw a 7-6 lead with 3:32 remaining in the first half.

Wise countered with his second touchdown pass to senior Desmond Lewis, this one a four-yard pass with 28 seconds left in the first half.

The two hooked up for the game's first touchdown with 7:40 remaining in the first half when Wise found Lewis from 24 yards out.

The Spartans had the extra-point kick blocked after their first touchdown and then failed to convert a two-point conversion after their second score.

Homestead, which led the Tigers 28-0 at halftime when the two teams met at Fisher Field in the second game of the regular season, took a 12-7 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

"It was a competitive game," said Akers. "I think Homestead knows they were in a game. Our defense was as aggressive as we've been all year. I don't think we've played that hard on defense all year. I thought early on the offensive line was really playing hard. We were able to move the ball. Last week an explosive Goshen offense wasn't able to move the ball a yard."

The Tigers were able to move the ball on the ground early in the game but finished the contest with just 108 rushing yards.

Freshman Andy Conrad, making his first varsity start in the backfield, racked up 49 yards on the ground in the first half on eight carries. He finished the game with 13 carries for 64 yards.

Clemens, who was sacked five times, carried the ball 13 times for negative three yards.

He completed 4 of 18 passes for 38 yards.

While some of his throws were long or short, a number of them were right on target but were dropped by receivers who struggled to make catches in the rainy conditions.

"I thought they both played fantastic," Akers said of Clemens and Conrad. "Matt Franco has been doing a great job kicking. Those three freshman earned varsity letters this year. They're all three going to be household names."

After junior Ryan Wright intercepted a Clemens pass in the third quarter, advancing the ball to the Warsaw 1-yard line, junior Charles Seals put the Spartans up 18-7 with a one-yard touchdown run.

Homestead again failed on the extra-point try.

The Spartans took a 20-7 lead when Warsaw senior punter Scott Harman, who would have been kicking out of the back of the end zone, took the snap and intentionally gave up a safety by stepping out of the back of the end zone with 7:49 remaining in the game.

Homestead scored again with 1:16 left in the contest when Seals danced his way through the heart of Warsaw's defense for a 22-yard touchdown run, pushing the advantage to 26-7.

Junior Ross Heckber led the Spartans with 12 carries for 54 yards, while Larry Buchanan had 33 yards on nine carries and Seals carried the ball five times for 32 yards.

Lewis caught four passes for 52 yards and Wright caught four passes for 43 yards.

Daniel Conrad led Warsaw's receivers with two catches for 35 yards.

A team that was already slowed by injuries, Warsaw will lose a number of players on both sides of the ball to graduation, including linebackers Dan Kamholz, James Sibray and Reinholt.

"Kamholz and Sibray were all over the field tonight," said Akers. "They definitely led the charge."

HOMESTEAD 26, WARSAW 7

Warsaw 0 7 0 0 - 7

Homestead 0 12 6 8 - 26

W H

First downs 9 15

Rushing yards 108 156

Passing yards 38 116

Comp.-Att.-Int. 4-18-2 10-18-0

Total offense 146 272

Fumbles/lost 2/1 3/2

Punts/avg. 3-25.3 2-39.0

Penalties/yards 4-24 3-39

Second Quarter

H - Jordan Wise 24 pass to Desmond Lewis (kick blocked) 7:40, 6-0

W - Justin Clemens 3 pass to Tommy Reinholt (Matt Franco kick) 3:32, 7-6

H - Wise 4 pass to Lewis (conversion failed) :28, 12-7

Third Quarter

H - Charles Seals 1 run (conversion failed) 2:34, 18-7

Fourth Quarter

H - safety 7:49, 20-7

H - Seals 22 run (conversion failed) 1:16, 26-7

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing - Warsaw, Andy Conrad 13-64, Clemens 13-(-3), Ben Davis 6-41, Cody Kindle 1-6, Reinholt 1-0; Homestead, Ross Heckber 12-54, Wise 12-23, Larry Buchanan 9-33, Seals 5-32, Ryan Wright 3-9, Brandon Derck 1-5

Receiving - Warsaw, Daniel Conrad 2-35, Reinholt 1-3, Justin Hanson 1-0; Homestead, Lewis 4-52, Wright 4-43, Jordan Bunn 1-16, Heckber 1-5

Passing - Warsaw, Clemens 4-18-38, 1 TD, 2 INT; Homestead, Wise 10-18-116, 2 TD, 0 INT