KANE — Cameron County proved that defense doesn’t always win championships, as it downed the defending champion Warren Dawgs 27-12.

The Dawgs were not able to overcome an abysmal first quarter that included three turnovers that would lead to three scores.

Cameron County would start the game off and drive 65 yards on four plays for the first points of the game for a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing drive, a Cameron County defender would make an incredible break on a Keegan Weissinger pass and come up with a diving interception. Five plays later, Cameron County would score again to make it 13-0.

Warren would get things going on its next offensive possession. Unfortunately, a Weissinger pass at mid-field would bounce off the receiver’s chest and right into the diving hands of a Cameron County defender. That would lead to another touchdown and a 20-0 lead after the first quarter.

The Dawgs would finally get something going on their next possession, driving it down the field using the legs of Weissinger, Clay Cummings and Johnny Nunez, and big catches by Chase Raub, Cummings, Lukas Cope and a 15-yard touchdown grab by Clayton Hammerbeck to get the Dawgs on the board 20-6.

The Dawgs’ defense would finally stand tall and force a punt. Again, the offense would drive it down the field. On the fourth play, an uncharacteristic underthrow would result in another interception at the Cameron County 37-yard line. Cameron Countywould cap off its drive with another TD to make it 27-6 with two minutes left in the half.

The Dawgs would drive deep into Cameron County territory, thanks to a 29-yard pass to Hammerbeck, with little time remaining in the half. Two costly penalties would back them up and a last-second throw would go incomplete at the 3 yard line end the first half.

Both defenses would hold strong for all of the third quarter. Early in the final period, the Dawgs would come up with a huge turnover on downs courtesy of a Clay Cummings tackle in the backfield at their own 19-yard line. The Dawgs would put together a long drive, capped off by a 15 yard Weissinger TD pass to Lukas Cope, closing the deficit to 27-12 with five mins remaining.

Cameron County would run out the rest of the clock to claim the championship and deny the Dawgs a repeat.

Offensively the Dawgs were led by Weissinger’s 86 yards passing, including two TD tosses, and 51 yards rushing. Cummings, Nunez and Pape would also add multiple rushing yards. Cummings, Hammerbeck, Cope and Raub would all have multiple receptions. Warren’s offense finished with 212 yards of total offense behind the line of Pape, Laine Jackson, Jeremiah Lyon, Owen Young and Ryan Hilliard.

Warren’s defense was led by Clay Cummings’s nine tackles. Pape, Raub, Lyon, Weissinger, Logan Beedle and Hammerbeck would all add multiple tackles.

The Dawgs were escorted out of town by local fire departments and local police departments.

Eleven sixth-graders from Warren made the Little 30 all-star game. They are Keegan Weissinger, Chase Raub, Clay Cummings, John Nunez, Clayton Hammerbeck, Noah Pape, Jeremiah Lyon, Ryan Hilliard, Owen Young, Hunter Ingerson and Logan Beedle.

The Little 30 is scheduled for Oct. 21st at 7 p.m. in Cameron County.