All in for 10. That is the motto for Warren Central Football this season as they strive to become the first team to win 10 state championships in their class. The team has been ranked among the top 10 teams in class 6A in the state of Indiana during the preseason, and they are making sure that ranking is used as motivation to get even better.
Last season the Warriors navigated highs and lows together. Some highlights included Elijah Slibeck and Joe Walker winning their position awards for Mr. Football, an award given to the best high school football players in the state of Indiana. The lows, however, consisted of losing games that could have been won and losing to Center Grove once again in the Regional Championship game.
When it comes to the games that should have been wins in the scorebook, the Warriors have been focusing on pushing through adversity to finish out those games and get the win this season.
“When times are tough, your leadership will dictate how you perform,” head coach Mike Kirschner said. “Tough leaders respond to tough times.”
One place where the Warriors struggled the most last season was against teams in their conference. The team only got two wins against conference teams in the regular season, the least since 2020, when they only beat Pike and Lawrence Central. This is a big area of growth that the Warriors are seeking this season. Although the competition is tough, it will be important in developing the championship team that they hope to become.
“Conference games this season are going to be tough, but I feel like if our defense can come together we can win [those games],” junior linebacker Donavin Dungy said.
Coaches say the defense will be a huge part of the Warriors’ success this season. They have some elite defensive weapons in juniors Damien Shanklin, Tyrone Burrus Jr. and Marcus Bell Jr., along with senior Sean Pennington. Together, these players can make a difference for the team and take them to the next level.
“Our defensive line is one of the better units in the state,” assistant coach Randy Hudgins said. “We’re gonna need to make sure that we’re leaning on those guys and making sure others step up.”
A closer look into this year’s roster for the eastsiders reveals that it is lined up and down with talented athletes, specifically from the junior class. The third-year players are starting to cultivate a large presence on the varsity level, outnumbering seniors 37 to 25. They have been dominant together throughout high school, including winning the conference as freshman, before Carmel and Center Grove were voted out of the MIC. These athletes will make a huge impact for the Warriors this season as they strive for their 10th state championship.
“Everybody is going to give their all and do what we can [to win],” junior quarterback Keith Jackson said.