Warren opened the 2026 football season Friday night with plenty of big plays and, more importantly, an answer each time Malvern threatened to take control.
Quarterback Jackson Denton connected with Josiah Steen for three touchdowns of 40 yards or more, while sophomore JaKoby Avery added a pair of scores on the ground as the Lumberjacks defeated Malvern 38-21 to begin the season 1-0.
The Denton-to-Steen connection proved especially difficult for the Leopards to contain. Their three touchdown plays covered 40, 53 and 65 yards, giving Warren an explosive threat throughout the night.
Warren won the opening coin toss and deferred, sending its defense onto the field first.
Malvern began at its own 34-yard line, but the Lumberjack defense quickly forced a punt. Steen returned the kick to the Warren 49, giving the offense good field position for its first possession of the season.
That drive ended on downs, but Warren's defense quickly returned the ball to the offense.
Defensive lineman Kannon Lambert recorded a sack with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter, helping force another Malvern punt.
Less than a minute later, the Lumberjacks found the end zone.
Denton dropped a pass down the right sideline to Steen, who hauled it in for a 40-yard touchdown with 6:41 remaining in the opening quarter.
Sophomore Emanuel Pahuamba converted the extra point to give Warren a 7-0 lead.
Malvern responded when its quarterback broke free on a long scramble to the Warren 13-yard line. The Leopards eventually finished the drive with a 6-yard quarterback draw for a touchdown with 2:28 remaining.
The extra point tied the game at 7.
Warren's response took barely more than a minute.
Starting at its own 40, the Lumberjacks quickly worked their way down the field before Avery capped the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run.
Pahuamba's extra point put Warren back in front 14-7 with 1:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Malvern put together a lengthy drive during the second quarter and once again tied the game, this time on a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:25 remaining before halftime.
The tie lasted 34 seconds.
Denton went back to Steen on Warren's next possession, lofting a deep pass down the right side of the field that Steen hauled in for a 53-yard touchdown.
Pahuamba converted the extra point, giving Warren a 21-14 advantage with 2:51 remaining in the half.
The Lumberjack defense then gave the offense another opportunity before halftime.
DeAngelo Herron recorded a sack on Malvern's next possession, helping Warren force a punt with 1:14 remaining.
The Lumberjacks took advantage.
With 45 seconds left in the half, Denton found Steen on a crossing route underneath the Malvern defense. Steen broke a pair of tackles, reversed field and raced into the end zone for a 65-yard touchdown.
The play turned what appeared to be a short completion into Warren's longest touchdown of the first half.
Pahuamba's extra point sent the Lumberjacks into halftime with a 28-14 lead.
Warren received the second-half kickoff and immediately went back to work.
The Lumberjacks drove deep into Malvern territory before the drive stalled, bringing Pahuamba onto the field for a 27-yard field-goal attempt.
The sophomore calmly converted the kick to extend Warren's advantage to 31-14.
Pahuamba was perfect in his varsity season opener, making the field goal and all five of his extra-point attempts.
Malvern had an opportunity to cut into Warren's lead later in the third quarter, but a 28-yard field-goal attempt sailed left with 3:56 remaining.
The Lumberjack defense came up with another big play early in the fourth quarter.
With Malvern driving and 10:41 remaining, Xavion Miller stepped in front of a pass for an interception, giving Warren possession at its own 22.
Special teams soon created another turnover for the Lumberjacks when Malvern muffed a Warren punt near midfield and Ty Hembree recovered the loose ball.
The Leopards refused to go away quietly, however.
Malvern connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass with 5:40 remaining, cutting Warren's advantage to 31-21 and giving the Leopards one final opportunity to make things interesting.
Once again, Warren had an answer.
This time, it came from Avery.
With 2:43 remaining, the sophomore powered his way through the Malvern defense before breaking free for a 34-yard touchdown run, putting the game out of reach.
Pahuamba's extra point provided the final margin, 38-21.
Avery finished the night with two rushing touchdowns, giving the Lumberjacks a physical presence on the ground to go along with their explosive passing attack.
Denton and Steen provided most of the fireworks through the air.
Their three touchdown connections covered 40, 53 and 65 yards — a combined 158 yards on scoring plays alone. Steen proved capable of getting behind the Malvern secondary as well as turning shorter completions into big gains.
Warren's defense also delivered when needed.
Lambert and Herron recorded sacks, Miller came away with an interception and Hembree recovered a fumble on special teams as the Lumberjacks repeatedly stopped Malvern from building sustained momentum.
Perhaps the most encouraging part of the season opener was Warren's ability to respond when challenged.
Malvern tied the game twice during the first half. Both times, Warren answered with a touchdown.
When the Leopards pulled within 10 points late in the fourth quarter, Warren responded again, this time with Avery's punishing touchdown run to seal the victory.
It was not a perfect season opener, but it was one that showed the Lumberjacks have plenty of weapons on both sides of the football.
Warren leaves Malvern with a 1-0 record and will remain on the road next Friday when the Lumberjacks travel to Fountain Lake.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
