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DUNLAP - Those Warsaw Tigers took the term "bend-but-don't-break defense" to a whole new dimension on Friday night against the Concord Minutemen. With only two wins coming into the game, Concord expected to be little more than a sectional tuneup for Warsaw. But, of course, this is the NLC. Warsaw had to sustain two fourth-quarter stands to defeat Concord 13-10.
Leading 13-8, Warsaw had to punt on the second play of the fourth quarter, giving Concord the ball at its own 37-yard line with 11:46 to play in the game. The Minutemen put the game on the shoulders of Rickey McKenzie, who carried the ball four times in the first six plays of the drive. The fourth carry went for 27 yards to the 3-yard line where it looked as if Concord would take the lead for the second time in the game.
However, on first-and-goal, McKenzie only got a yard and was then stuffed for no gain on the next play. On third-and-goal from the two, McKenzie could only get to the 1-yard line. On fourth down, Concord went with a quarterback sneak by Nick Treadway, but he was stopped just short of the end zone.
The Tigers took over on downs inside their own one and played it safe with a couple running plays up the middle and was forced to punt from their own 2-yard line. Knowing that Concord's top field goal kicker, Brant Fowler, did not dress due to sickness, Tiger coach Phil Jensen decided to have his snapper toss the ball through the back of the end zone for a safety rather than take the chance of a blocked punt or good Concord field position.
After the safety made the score 13-10, Sam Wihebrink had to kick off from the 20-yard line. The Minutemen started with possession at their own 48-yard line with just over five minutes to play in the game.
Once again, Concord gave the ball to McKenzie until he had given the Minutemen a first and goal situation at the 6-yard line with time running off the clock. On first and goal, Josh Staley was called upon to carry the ball, but Warsaw held him without any forward momentum. On second down, McKenzie was given the ball again and got to the 4-yard line. On third down, Treadway took a quarterback keeper around left end and made a mad dash toward the corner of the end zone. However, he met three Warsaw defenders at the goal line, and as he stretched to reach into the end zone, he was stripped off the ball and Warsaw recovered the ball to seal the game.
"Jamie Elliott and Wes Rodman go in there on jumbo defense," Jensen said. "Those are offensive lineman that don't usually play a lot on defense. We didn't play consistently as well as we wanted to either offensively or defensively, but the kids made big plays when they had to. (On the turnover) What the kids said was that Treadway was going for the corner and as he was lunging out to try to get the ball across, Ryan Sands came and hit him and Pat Riley was just there to make the play and the ball fell right into his hands."
Warsaw's first score came on the Tigers' second drive of the game. Joe Stanley had the big play, a 12-yard run on third downto the 18-yard line, and Andy Plank put the ball in the end zone on a 1-yard dive for a 7-0 Warsaw lead.
Concord took an 8-7 lead just before halftime on a Treadway to Matthew Myers 6-yard scoring strike and a Brock Maust two-point conversion.
In the third quarter, Warsaw got its last score on an 11-yard touchdown scamper by Derrick Duncan that gave the Tigers a 13-8 lead. Plank's two-point conversion pass failed.
Duncan led the Warsaw offense with 107 yards on the ground. Even though Concord had more first downs, more total yards and held the time of possession advantage, Warsaw came up with the big stop when it was needed, and that is something that Jensen can not overlook when he thinks ahead to Homestead in the first round of the sectional.
"We didn't give up and we had kids make big plays," Jensen said. "When you're playing ugly and you have kids that rise to the occasion, that gives you the opportunity to knock off the giant."
Warsaw (6-3, 4-2) will play 5A No. 5 Homestead (9-0) in the first round of the sectional on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Homestead.
