FOOTBALL: Dragons end season with win
By JOSH COTTON jsitler@timesobserver.comThe Dragons have made progress.
After consecutive two-win seasons, Warren took care of business on Friday, defeating Northwestern, 38-24, and finishing the season with four victories.
Things didn't look good early.
Northwestern received the opening kickoff and started plowing away. The Wildcats kept things on the ground on the first drive and Chris Harned capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge. With the successful two-point conversion attempt, Northwestern took a quick 8-0 lead. This would be as good as it got for Northwestern as Class AAA Warren would regain momentum by scoring 31 unanswered points in the non-region game against Double-A Northwestern.
The first score would come with 35 seconds remaining in the first quarter when Dragons quarterback Matt Stapleford found T.J. Latimer on a screen pass that Latimer turned into a 62-yard catch and run. Failing on the two-point conversion attempt, the Dragons were down just two at 8-6. Warren would score twice more in the second quarter, a Stapleford three-yard touchdown run and a Colter Johnson 36-yard field goal, to give Warren a 17-8 lead going into the half.
Warren continued its domination after the break, scoring 14 points in the third quarter, and shutting out Northwestern's offense, to push the Dragon lead to 31-8 after three. Those touchdowns came on a Latimer run at the five-minute mark and another Stapleford touchdown run with 1:53 remaining in the third.
Warren coach Brad Wright commented after the game that he was "proud of his seniors and they way they came out and closed out the game in the second half."
Northwestern would score on two possessions in the fourth quarter, and tally a safety on a bad punt snap, but it would not be near enough to get back into the contest. Warren finished its scoring with seven minutes left in the fourth when Stapleford hooked up with Latimer from 27 yards out.
Wright was particularly complimentary of his junior quarterback, Stapleford, described as "gutsy" and "a warrior," who played his best game of the year while suffering from flu-like symptoms.
Stapleford led the offense with 236 yards passing and 47 rushing, with four total touchdowns. Wright praised the defensive effort of Dylan Winslow and Colter Johnson, an "animal" throughout the second half of the season.
Latimer ran for 83 yards and hauled in eight catches good for 150 yards. He scored three total touchdowns.
"The kids are buying into what's going on," said Wright, whose Dragons finished 4-6 overall with all four wins being non-region wins. "They take their preparation more seriously. We fully expect to be able to contend for a playoff spot next year."
NorthwesternWarren
70Offensive plays 56
20First downs19
51-314Rushes-yards32-135
102Passing yards236
416 Total yards371
19-7-1Pass-comp-int24-16-0
1-1Fumbles-lost2-1
4-35Penalties-yards2-10
Score by quarters
Northwestern 8 0 0 16 - 24
Warren 6 11 14 7 - 38
Scoring plays
First quarter
N- Chris Hanred 2 yard run (2 point attempt good, run Aaron Morley), 8:48.
W- Matt Stapleford 62 yard pass to T.j. Latimer (Latimer 2 point run no good), :35.
Second quarter
W- Stapleford 3 yard run (2 point attempt good, pass Stapleford to Travis Larsen). 5:23.
W- Colter Johnson 36 yard field goal, :2.
Third quarter
W- Latimer 55 yard run (Johnson kick good), 5:05.
W- Stapleford 10 yard run (Johnson kick good), 1:53.
Fourth quarter
N- Nick Noe 17 yard pass to Blain Iskula (2 point run by Aaron Morley good), 14:08.
W-Stapleford 27 yard pass to Latimer (Johnson kick good), 7:20.
N- Punt snap out back of end zone, safety, 2:15.
N- Noe 1 yard run (Josh Yioung two point run no good), :41.
Individual leaders:
RUSHING: N: Aaron Morley 22-194, Stephen Maskrey 12-67, Chris Harned 9-23, TD, Nick Noe 5-22, TD, Nick Copeland 1-8, Hunter Jones 2-0; W- T.J. Latimer 10-83, TD, Matt Stapleford 18-47, 2 TD, Travis Larsen 2-3, DeLattre 2-2.
PASSING: N: Nick Noe 7-19, 102 yards, TD, INT. W- Stapleford 16-24, 236 yards, 2 TD.
RECEIVING: Blaine Iskula 3-35, TD, Jones 1-45, Copeland 2-23, Morley 1- (-1). W- Latimer 8-150, 2 TD, Cody Bupp 6-52, Travis Larsen 2-34.
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Deslock
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11-07-09 7:46 AM
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Celebrating four wins. Wow. It's like being Pirates fan.
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