Being favored in a postseason contest is an unusual circumstance for a Warrenton girls basketball team that hasn’t won a district game in eight years.When the Warriors take the court for their semifinal matchup against No. 3 Fulton on Thursday, they will be hoping to snap a streak that has cast a shadow over the program.“I think we’re a lot farther along than I thought we would be,” said first-year Coach Greg Williams. “Eventually we’ve got to start winning these big games.”Warrenton was rewarded for its 16-7 finish in the regular season by receiving a bye in the first round as the No. 2 seed.“To be in position to win a district is great,” said Williams. “We hope to take care of business on Thursday so we can compete for the title on Friday.”That matchup would most likely be against the No. 1-seeded host, Kirksville.First, the Warriors must overcome Fulton, which routed No. 6 Hannibal 59-33 on Monday.“Their stars and ours are pretty evenly matched, so it’s going to come down to some other role players stepping up,” said Williams.He says the Hornets typically play a zone defense and a fast-paced offense.The Warriors’ success thus far has come on the heels of a balanced and cohesive effort among seniors and underclassmen.Sophomore forward Jenny Jansen has been a team leader, averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.“She’s a tough competitor and is success-driven,” said Williams.In her fourth year as a starter, senior guard Hannah Sutton is averaging 14.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. She has enjoyed exceptional individual success on a team that hasn’t finished with a winning record since 2007. That streak came to an end this year, but Williams is hopeful a postseason run isn’t out of the question.“She’s come full term here, because every game we play now is one step closer to her last,” said Williams. “She wants to go down way she envisioned it, saving the best for last.”Warrenton’s scoring drops off considerably beyond Jansen and Sutton, but leadership, ballhandling and defense runs much deeper.Senior Kylie Toebben brings substantial experience to the court and has averaged 5.7 points an outing.Perhaps the biggest surprise this season has been the emergence of a pair of freshman guards, Ashtyn Dixon and Rylie Cox. The duo has been a reassuring complement to sophomore Kaylee Anderson at the guard position.“We’ve seen a lot of younger girls develop quickly and find their roles,” said Williams.The Warriors are limited in depth and scoring underneath the basket, with Jansen picking up most of the scoring load and finding her touch from the high post.Junior Amanda Lafaver and freshman Kayla Nelson have teamed up to shut down opponents underneath.Warrenton has reached two tournament championships this season, finishing second in both. Williams says each provided the valuable experience of playing in high-stakes games.“We had some nerves and anxiety that bothered us a little bit those first times around, but with each we got a little more comfortable,” said Williams.JANSEN LEADS WARRIORS STATISTICALLYDerrick Forsythe photo.