Warsaw Falls To Penn In Sectional SemifinalMISHAWAKA – Missed chances meant the end for Warsaw Friday.
The Tigers fell 16-7 to Penn in a Class 6A Sectional 2 high school football semifinal at Freed Field.
“We knew that there were gonna be a few brief moments in the game where we had to convert and we had to make something happen, and we didn’t always do that,” said Warsaw coach Bart Curtis.
Those moments included a missed field goal, a potential touchdown pass that was dropped, and a failed fourth-down conversion in Penn territory.
The ninth-ranked Kingsmen also left points on the field thanks to penalties at key moments. Penn committed eight infractions for 85 yards.
“I think both schools would say there were some things left on the field, probably the reason we did that is Warsaw’s defense and vice versa,” said Penn coach Cory Yeoman.
Warsaw’s lone score came in the second quarter.
Down 3-0, the Tigers got on the board when Josh West connected with Luke Adamiec for a pass across the middle of the field.
Adamiec broke free, and without breaking stride shed a diving Penn defender on his way to the 68-yard score.
Warsaw led 7-3 and had a chance to put more points on the board with around seven minutes left in the half.
After Trenton Sands recovered a fumble at the Penn 34-yard line, Warsaw’s drive stalled at the 17. The Tigers lined up for a 34-yard field goal, but the ball sailed to the right of the uprights.
The Tigers still held a 7-3 advantage at halftime, but that changed in the third quarter when Ron Powlus Jr. found Brock Boynton in the near right corner of the end zone to put the Kingsmen up 10-7 early in the third.
“Great throw, great catch,” Curtis said.
Warsaw had a chance to take the lead on its next drive, but a long pass that could have been a touchdown was dropped.
Penn scored insurance points after a flea-flicker play set up Trenton Horvath’s run from seven yards out.
Down 16-7, Warsaw didn’t quit. The Tigers marched well into Penn territory and had the ball on fourth down with two yards to go at the Kingsmen 25.
The Tigers failed to convert, however, when their running play was blown up behind the line of scrimmage.
The Kingsmen took over and chewed up the rest of the clock for the win.
Penn (8-3) is the only team in the state to have never lost a sectional opener since the IHSAA moved to its all-inclusive format in 1985.
Penn will face Valparaiso in the Sectional 2 championship game Friday.
Yeoman gave credit to Warsaw, and particularly Curtis.
“We knew it was gonna be a battle to the end,” he said. “I’ve been in a lot of those with (Curtis), and I think the world of him.”
Warsaw finished its season at 7-3, which is the best record the Tigers have posted since 2013.
Curtis praised the effort of his players.
“I’m awful darn proud of the effort these kids put in the last four months,” Curtis said. “I know they’re hurting right now, and that tells me what they invested in this throughout the last four or five months.”
PENN 16, WARSAW 7
W 0 7 0 0 — 7
P 3 0 7 6 — 16
W P
1st downs 9 17
Rushing yds 108 231
Passing yds 77 153
Comp-Att-Int 2-8-1 12-17-0
Total yds 185 384
Fumbles/lost 0/0 2/1
Penalties/yds 3/22 8/85
First Quarter
P – Ryan Majarek 27 field goal, 5:18
Second Quarter
W – Luke Adamiec 68 pass from Josh West (Harrison Mevis kick), 10:13
Third Quarter
P – Brock Boynton 21 pass from Ron Powlus (Majarek kick), 9:56
Fourth Quarter
P – Trenton Horvath 7 run (kick failed), 10:16
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — Warsaw, Bryce Garner 10-69, Josh West 19-40, Juan Jaramillo 4-4, Wyatt Amiss 4-(-5); Penn, Ryan Whiteman 20-111, Trenton Horvath 15-89, Ron Powlus 3-31. Passing — Warsaw, West 2-8-77, 1 TD, 1 INT; Penn, Powlus 11-16-102, 1 TD, Brock Boynton 1-1-51
Receiving — Warsaw, Luke Adamiec 1-68, Jaramillo 1-12; Penn, George Ohlson 7-50, Boynton 4-52, Ryan Favilla 1-51.
