Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
By now, the entirety of Warsaw knows the story: the 2024 Warsaw football team was sitting at 3-3 after a shocking loss to Plymouth before rattling off seven straight wins. Four of those came in the playoffs, sending the team to the state finals for the first time ever. They were defeated by a tough Decatur Central team, but the run to get there was one for the ages, bringing the entire community together and giving them something to cheer for.
Despite that year boasting the best football season in Tiger football history, head coach Bart Curtis is solely concerned with this year’s team.
“We’re turning the page. Comparison is the thief of joy. This is a completely different team with a completely different dynamic,” Curtis said. “We’re going to do what we did last year and do every year, and that is take things day by day and try to be the very best we can be.”
That method had worked wonders for Curtis at Warsaw, as he’s gone 58-21 in seven years at the school, including last season’s run all the way to the state championship game. Even that season had its challenges. This one will too, albeit slightly different ones.
There will be a lot of new names and faces making the big plays for the Tigers this season, as the team lost eight defensive starters, their entire offensive line and quarterback, as well as their four-year kicker to graduation in the spring. Part of a 24-senior class, these losses will leave big shoes to fill.
“There have been some growing pains but we’ve seen progress. Even when the standard is the standard and you have your expectations, some groups move slower than others,” Curtis explained. “It’s kind of like cooking a meal. They all have different ingredients and time to cook but you want the end result to be the same: to serve it to someone and they love it.”
This year, the team has a class made up of 14 seniors. While they do not have the numbers that last year’s class does, Curtis is certain they will make their impact felt in other ways.
“I tell them all the time, ‘you guys may not be high in numbers but you will be high in character,’” Curtis said. “These guys care an awful lot, they put in the work and put life and limb on the line because they love their teammates and they love Warsaw high school.”
Headlining that senior class is quarterback Quinton Brock, who has started 13 games under center over the previous two years with former quarterback (now Butler football player) Drew Sullivan missing time with injury. Brock is an incredibly versatile athlete who has done a bit of everything for the Tigers over the course of his career, and will be a key piece to another deep playoff run.
“How he goes, we’ll go. He’s a weapon. He throws touchdowns, he catches touchdowns, he runs for touchdowns. Any time he has the football in his hands, something good can happen,” Curtis said.
Joining Brock as some key returners are Brody Duncan and Tucker Reed in the backfield, a duo that combined for over 1,300 yards last season as well as 17 touchdowns. Grady Nelson and Matthew Flores-Ortega return as well and will be the leaders of a defense that will have to rebuild from the ground up.
Along with these players, who already have a plethora of varsity experience to pull from, the Tigers will also have to rely on junior and sophomore players who are getting their very first taste of the Friday night lights.
“Last year was a year where a lot of our junior and sophomore players were on JV. That’s not going to be the case this season,” Curtis said. “Now is their time to show us what they can be. But that’s the best part. If there’s no pressure to perform, where’s the fun in that?”
Warsaw opens the season on the road at Fort Wayne Snyder.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to play a team as talented and disciplined as them. They are going to show us who we are,” Curtis said. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the scoreboard and wins and losses but I’m concerned with the process. The score at the end of the game is going to be whatever it is, but what did we do to get there? Did we do the things that will ultimately lead to where we want to be?”
The team’s first home game will come against 6A Warren Central during week 2. The team’s first Northern Lakes Conference game will come on Sep. 5 on the road at Goshen. Curtis expects the NLC to be as tough as ever.
“I’m no Carnac the Magnificent, but I think it’ll be the usual suspects at the top,” he said. “Mishawaka will be very good. Concord will be very good. I think NorthWood will surprise some people.”
