During last year’s district championship game at Hannibal, Warrenton junior Austin Haas had to leave the game and his team after suffering an injury. Sitting in the hospital, he anxiously awaited for score updates. 

“Hearing that my team lost was worse than anything that I’ve ever experienced in my whole career,” said Haas of the eventual 55-32 season-ending loss to the Pirates. “This is the last go around. There’s no more high school football games for me. If we lose, it’s done. I want to end on a happy note and we’re going to do everything we can to make that possible.” 

That experience has “lit a new fire” for Haas. Haas, who is now a senior, is not the only one who feels more of an incentive this season, but so do seniors Cole Meyer and Kyle Lauck. 

“Coming into the season, we had a lot of doubters and with our season going so well, we just have to keep going,” Lauck said. “I don’t want to have my senior season come to an end.” 

Due to earning the top seed in districts, undefeated Warrenton (9-0) had a bye week and did not have to play in a quarterfinal game. All three seniors noted the bye has allowed them to get their mindsets right and their bodies fresh, while still striving to be better. 

“Everybody wants to keep it going and I feel like everybody’s really focused and excited to go out and dominate,” Lauck said. 

Warrenton has rallied their entire season around one mindset: It’s one week at a time. Meyer noted practices have not focused around every team they could potentially face in districts. Instead, they prepare for just one team at a time. 

“Let ‘em know we’re ready,” Lauck said. 

After Osage beat Fort Zumwalt South 50-16 on Nov. 1, the Warriors will take on Osage (8-2) for the Class 4, District 5 semifinal game on Nov. 8 at home. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

In the other district semifinal, third-seeded Hannibal (7-3) will host seventh-seeded Mexico (5-5).The winners will face off in the district championship on Nov. 15. 

Head Coach Jason Koper noted this is a tough district with some talented teams, but ultimately they need to focus on the task at hand. 

“I think once you get to this point in the season, it’s about who’s healthier and who executes better,” Koper said. “For me last year, it didn’t matter whether we were on the road or at home. The task and the mindset was still the same, it’s win or go home.” 

He went on to say that the team changed their mindset this year in how they view other teams in their district. Last year, they went into the playoffs wanting to expose other teams. This year, it is about preventing themselves from being exposed.

“We understand what our weaknesses are at this point in the year, so we have to be able to minimize those weaknesses and just continue to execute and build off of our strengths,” Koper said. 

The Warriors have had back-to-back undefeated regular seasons, often dominating other opponents. 

“I think they’re seeing the rewards now of that commitment piece and that mindset piece,” Koper said. “To keep this mindset where it is and determination and be good and put a good product out on the field is what has led us to this point.”