Warren back Tommy Nyquist has two 200-plus-yard rushing games and 1,525 all-purpose yards on the season. The Dragons host state-ranked (Class 4A) Meadville at 7 p.m. Friday at War Memorial Field. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

In its last home football game of the season, Warren will host one of the best teams in the state — Meadville — at 7 p.m. Friday at War Memorial Field.

“You want to measure yourself against the best,” said Warren coach Mark Morelli, whose Dragons have won five of six games since starting the season 0-2. “Meadville is the second team we have played this season that is state-ranked at the time we have played them, so obviously it will be a challenge.”

The other state-ranked team was Oil City on opening night; the Oilers beat Warren 58-24. Those same Oilers also lost 35-0 to Meadville.

“Year in and year out they have a sound offensive line that beats you with technique and quickness; that allows their backs to have the success they have had,” said Morelli. “Kalill Simmons and Brady Walker are a pretty good one-two punch for them. Meadville is a balanced team on offense and, on defense, they come at you with a variety of looks and pressure.”

Class 4A Meadville is 7-1 overall and 4-0 and in first place in Region 4. 3A Warren is 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the region.

“We need a few breaks and we need to create some turnovers,” said Morelli. “Our line on both sides of the ball has to stalemate Meadville’s efforts.”

The offensive numbers are gaudy for Meadville. Simmons has rushed 97 times for 1,392 yards or 14.4 yards per carry. He has 25 touchdowns. Walker has 113 carries for 925 yards or 8.2 yards a carry and 13 touchdowns.

With 28 total scores and a 3-point conversion, Simmons is second in all of District 10 in scoring with 170 points, albeit a distant second to Ethan Knox of Oil City (236 points). Walker is 10th in scoring in D10 (82 points).

Warren’s offensive stats, despite an 0-2 start in which it was outscored 100-24, are nothing to sneeze at. Tommy Nyquist has 11 total touchdowns — seven on the ground — and 1,525 all-purpose yards rushing, receiving and in the return game. Quarterback Eric Dippold has thrown for 1,178 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. Receiver Cayden Wright has caught eight of the touchdown passes and has 512 yards receiving. Warren also has a 1-2 punch on the ground with Ethan Senz, who has 494 yards rushing and five total touchdowns with 830 all-purpose yards.

“I am sure our seniors want to do well (in) the last home game of their careers,” said Morelli. “This time of the year is always a bittersweet time with a lot of emotions. To their credit, they weathered the storm in the early part of the season and turned things around.”