Tigers Claw Their Way Back, Beat RaidersMIDDLEBURY – The Warsaw Tigers took their backs off the wall and pulled out a win Friday.
Warsaw overcame a 14-0 deficit for a 37-14 victory in a Northern Lakes Conference football game at Northridge.
“There are no 14-point plays in football,” said?Warsaw coach Bart Curtis. “I told them, ‘Cut it to seven before the half. We’ll regroup.’”
The Tigers saw Curtis’ challenge, and raised him 14 points.
Kane Dawson picked up a key fourth-down conversion in the Tigers’ own territory on their next drive.
Two plays later, he found an opening up the middle, and dragged a would-be tackler on his way to a 41-yard touchdown.
The Tigers (4-1, 2-1 NLC) forced a punt on Northridge’s next possession. They blocked and recovered the punt, and set themselves up at the Raiders’ 7-yard line.
Three players later, Dawson dove for the 2-yard score.
Northridge quarterback and safety Julius Graber, who had played well to that point, injured his knee on the play and did not return.
Northridge coach Tom Wogomon said he did not know the severity of Graber’s injury, and noted the impact his QB’s absence had on the rest of the game.
“It was absolutely everything, because this was a team to where, with what Julius is and what he offers, he’s a guy that you push all your chips on the table (with),” Wogomon said.
With the score tied at 14, Warsaw blocked and recovered another punt to start at the Northridge 25.
“Here’s the thing about Northridge; you don’t know if they’re gonna punt,” Curtis said. “They make you play defense on fourth down, so we were fortunate that we were able to get in there and get something.”
That “something” resulted in a 21-14 lead after Warsaw quarterback Josh West scored on 4th-and-goal from the 1.
It was the last score the Tigers needed, though they tacked on two more touchdowns and a field goal in the second half, while limiting Northridge’s second-half productivity to three first downs.
The Raiders began the game on a tear. Graber capped off a 14-play, 80-yard drive with a 5-yard scoring run midway through the first quarter.
He followed that up with a 34-yard strike to Breckin Judd for the 14-0 lead early in the second.
Kane Dawson led Warsaw offensively. He ran the ball 26 times for 157 yards and three fumbles.
Curtis was pleased that Warsaw had no turnovers in a game for the first time this season.
He also was impressed with his team’s resiliency.
“I’m proud of the way that they responded after (being down),” Curtis said. “Obviously the two blocked punts helped, getting the score before the end of the half helped, but we can’t come out and drop a turd on the field and start that slow.”
Graber ran seven times for 60 yards for the Raiders (3-2, 2-1 NLC), and was 3-of-5 passing for 60 yards before his injury.
“He’s the show, he makes them go, and hopefully he’ll recover and it’s not serious,” Curtis said. “We wish him the very best.”
The Tigers return to Fisher Field for a Week 6 homecoming date with Goshen.
Warsaw 37, Northridge 14
W 0 21 13 3 — 37
N 7 7 0 0 — 14
W N
1st downs 18 10
Rushing yds 295 76
Passing yds 0 94
Comp-Att-Int 0-2-0 7-14-0
Total yds 295 76
Fumbles/lost 0/0 3/0
Penalties/yds 3/30 6/70
First Quarter
N – Julius Graber 5 run (Nolan Laughlin kick), 6:18
Second Quarter
N – Breckin Judd 34 pass from Graber (Laughlin kick), 11:40
W – Kane Dawson 41 run (Harrison Mevis kick, 8:23
W – Dawson 2 run (Mevis kick), 5;48
W – Josh West 1 run (Mevis kick), :36
Third Quarter
W – Dawson 30 run (Mevis kick), 11:10
W – Bryce Garner 1 run (Mevis kick), 1:55
Fourth Quarter
W – Mevis 40 field goal, 10:39
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — Warsaw, Kane Dawson 26-157, Juan Jaramillo 7-72, Bryce Garner 7-50, Aaron Greene 5-29, Wyatt Amiss 2-5, Jacob Hawn 1-5, Josh West 6-1, Harrison Mevis 1-(-24); Northridge, Julius Graber 7-60, Tug Modglin 12-25, Dom Crowder 1-2, Caid Lacey 6-(-3), Oliver Eveler 1--4), Logan Hooley 6-(-4). Passing — Warsaw, West 0-2-0; Northridge, Graber 3-5-60, 1 TD; Hooley 4-8-35, Eveler 0-1-0
