While it wasn’t the exclamatory finishing touch the Warrenton football team desired, last Friday’s 38-7 setback against Orchard Farm didn’t dash the Warriors’ title hopes.
The loss was …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
While it wasn’t the exclamatory finishing touch the Warrenton football team desired, last Friday’s 38-7 setback against Orchard Farm didn’t dash the Warriors’ title hopes.
The loss was the first in GAC North play this year for Warrenton, resulting in a three-way tie for the league championship. The Warriors had beaten St. Charles West, who delivered Orchard Farm its only defeat, leaving all three teams 3-1 at the conclusion of conference action.
“It’s nice to get a share of the conference title,” said Coach Steve McDowell. “We would’ve like to have won it outright, of course, to claim it totally, but it’s good for the kids to go 3-1 in conference and get a share of the title.”
It was the Warriors’ first GAC North championship since 2017, when they split with St. Charles West.
Warrenton’s inability to compete with Orchard Farm last Friday was in large part connected to its struggles shutting down the running game.
“That was the determining factor of the ballgame,” said McDowell. “We knew it was going to be a shootout. We knew we’d have to get them stopped on the run game, and it just didn't happen.”
Orchard Farm dominated to the tune of 398 rushing yards, including 244 yards on a persistent 36 carries by Latterion West.
“He hit those holes fast, and once he got to the second level, it was tough to get him down,” said McDowell. “Our tackling was not very good. It seems like a broken record in our losses. When we tackle well, we win.”
Warrenton’s lone touchdown came early in the first quarter, when freshman Joe Goldsmith scored on a seven-yard run. He finished with 74 yards on 13 carries, sharing the workload with senior Connor Tittel, who added 67 yards on 12 carries. The duo teamed up in the absence of leading rusher Quincy McRoberts. The Warriors were also without junior running back Isaiah Jones.
“We felt going in we could still establish a good run game,” said McDowell. “Connor did a very nice job running the ball, as did Joe. They did a respectable job running, but we just weren’t able to finish drives.”
Warrenton trailed 16-7 at halftime, but the combination of West and quarterback A.J. Snow proved unmatchable for the Warriors. The Orchard Farm connection combined for all five touchdowns and four two-point conversion runs.
“We went into halftime and tried to make a couple of adjustments to slow their run game down,” said McDowell. “They gave us opportunities in the first half. In that second half they were able to find some weak points in our defense and exploit that.”
The Eagles tacked on two more rushing touchdowns in the third period and other in the fourth, attempting just nine passes the entire game.
Warrenton junior quarterback Caelon Weir finished 11 of 16 passing for 89 yards and three touchdowns. Four different receivers caught two passes each.
Defensively, the Warriors were led by Parker and senior Andrew Cox, who each recovered a fumble.
The Warriors will travel to Mexico this Friday for non conference action, before entering district play.
