Reinhard's play on both sides of ball leads to 21-10 win over Warsaw
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
SYRACUSE – Already the leader of Wawasee’s offense, senior Gage Reinhard stepped up and led the Warriors on defense Friday night. His ability to make big plays on both sides of the ball helped Wawasee reclaim the travelling “W” trophy with a 21-10 win over Northern Lakes Conference and Kosciusko County rival Warsaw. In a senior night matchup against the visiting Tigers, Wawasee’s standout quarterback threw for 175 yards, including a 51-yard scoring strike to junior Sam Clark. Making his first start in the defensive secondary, Reinhard’s two fourth-quarter interceptions were certainly key for the Warriors. “Gage is a tough kid,” said second-year Wawasee coach Josh Ekovich, whose team improved to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the NLC standings. “His understanding of the passing game and how offenses work helps him break on balls while playing defense.” Reinhard’s first interception came with just over eight minutes remaining the game and the Warriors leading 14-10. His pick of Warsaw quarterback Jake Mangas gave Wawasee the ball at the Tigers’ 4-yard line. Two players later, senior Nic Wilson barrelled his way in from a yard out, pushing the advantage to 21-10 with 7:10 remaining. Reinhard intercepted Mangas again on Warsaw’s next offensive play. “This is our Super Bowl,” an elated Reinhard said as fans and students celebrated on the field with the Warriors. “This is a game we have marked on the calendar. This was senior night, and my last “W” trophy game. This is a huge game. We played as a team and worked for one goal.” Wawasee’s victory snapped Warsaw’s three-game winning streak and dealt the Tigers a huge blow in the conference standings. Warsaw is now 4-3 overall and 3-2 in NLC action. Plymouth, which beat Class 5A No. 1 Concord 48-20 Friday night, is alone atop the league with a 5-0 mark, while Concord is 4-1 and Northridge is 3-2. “Our kids tried, it’s not like they were trying to drop passes,” said Warsaw coach Phil Jensen. “But you’ve got to score when you have opportunities, and we didn’t do that. Still, I can’t fault the kids’ effort in these adverse conditions.” Playing in a driving wind, and later in the rain, Warsaw responded to Clark’s 51-yard touchdown catch with a 30-yard scoring scamper from senior Ethyn Bradley. The Tigers took a 10-7 lead on senior Caleb Klusman’s 32-yard field goal with 8:52 left in the third quarter. Reinhard’s two fourth-quarter interceptions and Wilson’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns, however, turned the tide for the home team. Wawasee has won the battle for the “W” trophy in four of the past five seasons, though the Tigers lead the all-time series with a 28-17-1 record and hold a 17-12 advantage since Robert and Patricia Reiff donated the trophy in the mid-1980s. “This is what it’s all about for the kids,” Ekovich said when asked to put the rivalry into words. “I’m not from here, but I get the mystique of the rivalry and playing for the “W” trophy. This is a huge thing for these kids.” Clark, who also picked off Mangas while playing in the secondary, caught four passes for 153 yards for the Warriors, while teammate Nathan Katzer tallied 117 yards on 23 carries. Wilson finished the game with 50 yards and two scores on 15 carries. For Warsaw, Mangas completed 22 of 48 passes for 245 yards. With the 48 attempts, Mangas broke his own school record for attempts in a game. He set the previous mark of 44 earlier this season in a win at Northridge. Throwing three interceptions Friday night, though, didn’t help the Tigers’ cause. Mangas had thrown just four interceptions in Warsaw’s previous six games. “A big game, win or lose, will do two things for you ... either elevate you or tear you apart,” said Jensen. “It’s up to the kids which one.” Sophomore Kyle Mangas caught seven passes for 81 yards for Warsaw, while junior Brock Riley made six catches for 67 yards and junior Riley Rhoades caught six passes for 50 yards. Bradley led the Tigers’ ground game with eight carries for 53 yards. Warsaw travels to Nappanee Friday to play the NorthWood Panthers, who beat Elkhart Memorial 2-0, while Wawasee goes to Elkhart Memorial.
