The Warrenton Warriors are sticking to their proven philosophy as they prepare for the 2025 football season: it is one step at a time. 

Head coach Jason Koper emphasized the importance of forging ahead to his team after it won back-to-back conference titles and went on a deep playoff run that included the program’s first state appearance since 2010.

“Last year is last year,” Koper said. “Every day when we come to work, we need to be able to beat the team that was here yesterday. If we do that consistently, we’ll be in a great position once we actually get into the season.”  

Even though the Warriors lost numerous players to graduation, they will have a roster this year that will bring new talent, leadership and faces.

Junior Christian Blondin, younger brother of former starting quarterback Charlie Blondin in 2023, has taken the reins, with Bradley Tucker anchoring the run game. 

“Blondin came back out this year and he’s solidified himself as our starting quarterback early on and he’s done really well,” Koper said. “Tucker has done an incredibly good job out there for us as our primary running back as well.” 

The Warriors also boast strength up front, with both offensive and defensive lines showing promise during summer training. 

“We’re big and strong up front. I would venture to say we’ll be one of the biggest and strongest offensive and defensive lines around,” Koper said. “They’ve done a really good job picking up the playbook and they were highly impressive when we played.” 

While Koper did note there is inexperience on the field, he feels the team is trending in an upward direction. 

“It’s always the goal to replicate that success (from previous years) and be consistent with it, but it’s a process,” Koper said. “We just have to stay committed to the 14-week process and stay consistent and true to that.” 

June practices focused on lifting and conditioning, while July shifted to contact practices. The Warriors recently took the field in full pads during joint practices with SLUH, Francis Howell Central and Fort Zumwalt East. 

“Thursday (July 17), we struggled a little bit at times, but the next day, we executed a lot more efficiently. As soon as we got into it, we got more snaps and started to improve quite a bit,” Koper said. “The more reps they get, the better they get and the less mistakes they make.” 

Beyond on-field development, Koper has seen a jump in leadership and mentality. 

“Going into our last scrimmage against SLUH, I said ‘all we have to worry about is the 11 Warriors that are out on that field at one time,’ and Jack (Morris) said ‘that’s right, we have to do our job and take care of business.’ Seeing that type of leadership and growth was huge and a big step in the right direction for us,” Koper said. “Now, we just have to take it to the next level.” 

Koper praised numerous other players for their drive to step up and take on bigger roles. 

“They’ve really taken it upon themselves to put in the work and put our team in the best possible position we can to win,” he said. 

Although comparisons to previous teams can sometimes pose a challenge, Koper says the Warriors are no strangers to the pressure of high expectations. 

“Last year, I remember having a meeting in week four and telling them that we can’t worry about who we were the previous year. We have to take on the 2024 identity and they did that,” Koper said. “It’s the same thing this year. They’ve felt that pressure and they know what that pressure is going to be like. Now, it’s about execution because we have a lot of really good football players.” 

With six Fridays left until the lights come on and the 2025 season begins, the message remains clear. 

“I’ve been saying this for a couple of years now – it’s one game at a time, one play at a time, one quarter at a time,” Koper said. “2024 was special, but this 2025 team can be great too if they put it all together.”