Friday’s jamboree at Zumwalt North proved that Steve McDowell’s enthusiasm was indeed justified.The Warrenton football coach was eager to pit his first-year skill players against live opponents, confident they will be an asset to this year’s team.Turns out, he was right.The Warriors running game showed well against three other schools, including O’Fallon Christian, Riverview Gardens and the host team.“We saw three different offenses,” said McDowell.“Christian ran a spread, while Zumwalt North ran a triple option and Riverview Gardens a double tight wing.”Each created a unique challenge, which McDowell feels will benefit his program as the season unfolds.“I think we had a pretty decent night,” acknowledged McDowell. “We were able to move the ball offensively. Our ground game was very good.”Senior Drake Wagner used his speed and shiftiness, while Dane Huck played more of a power role in the backfield.“Those guys really shined for us,” said McDowell. “Getting the ground game going was something we really wanted to get accomplished.”Warrenton opened against Christian and was able to move the ball with the deep passing game from junior quarterback Zach Logan.“We mixed young kids in so we could get an idea of where we are depth wise,” said McDowell.Christian was able to slide past the Warriors’ defense to score a touchdown on a slip screen but was otherwise held in check.“Defensively we played pretty solid with just a couple of breakdowns,” said McDowell.The Warriors then battled Zumwalt North, and were again able to pound the ball on the ground.“The offensive line was able to open some holes and did a nice job of run blocking,” McDowell added.Playing defense against the Panthers required a very disciplined effort.“We performed well against Zumwalt North with their triple option,” said McDowell. “We had to defend against the quarterback responsibly.”The Warriors final test came against Riverview Gardens, during which McDowell brought in sophomore quarterback Braydan Chmiel.“We were trying to mix things up, and he did a nice job for us,” said McDowell.Defensively, Riverview Gardens presented a unique challenge, in that Warrenton was unfamiliar with its double tight wing approach.“We had a lot of kids out there that have never had a Friday night experience,” said McDowell. “We’ve still got some fundamentals to work out, but overall, it was a good showing.”

Warrenton will open the season on Friday against St. Dominic

Bill Barrett Photo.