The Warren Lumberjacks kicked off their conference season with a nail-biting 28-26 victory over the DeWitt Dragons on Friday night. The game, filled with dramatic moments and high stakes, saw Warren come out on top thanks to a determined team effort on both sides of the ball.
The game opened with the tension typical of conference play. DeWitt’s offense faced an early challenge when they mishandled the opening snap, but the Dragons quickly responded. On a critical 3rd-and-16, running back Cory Graham broke through a tackle and powered past the first-down marker to keep the drive alive. This early sequence set the tone for the game: while Warren's defense applied constant pressure, DeWitt refused to back down.
Despite both teams moving the ball effectively, neither squad was able to score in the first quarter, which ended in a 0-0 tie.
Warren’s offense, led by quarterback Jackson Denton and his receiving corps of Josiah Steen and Bleyze Fellows, began to find its rhythm. The Lumberjacks’ balanced attack kept DeWitt’s defense off balance. The first touchdown of the game came when Denton connected with Fellows for a 7-yard score, giving Warren a 7-0 lead.
On the following possession, DeWitt responded with an 80-yard drive, capped off by a three-yard touchdown run, pulling the Dragons within 7-6. However, a failed two-point conversion attempt would prove costly. With just 1:20 left in the half, Warren struck again, with Denton hitting Fellows on a couple of key pass plays before star halfback Aaron Davis punched in a touchdown as time expired, sending the Lumberjacks into the locker room with a 14-6 lead.
DeWitt came out strong in the second half, surprising Warren with an onside kick. The Dragons recovered the ball in excellent field position, and after a quick drive, they scored again to pull within 14-12, though their two-point conversion attempt was again unsuccessful.
Warren, now on alert, answered with a swift touchdown of their own. Davis found the end zone again, and after an extra point from Marquez, the Lumberjacks extended their lead to 21-12. But DeWitt wasn’t finished. The Dragons responded immediately with a 30-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 21-18.
After another failed onside kick attempt, Warren answered with a bomb from Denton to Steen, covering 50 yards and putting the Lumberjacks ahead 28-18 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter saw DeWitt continue to fight back. On a critical 4th down and punting situation, the Dragons rolled the dice with a fake punt, connecting on a 54-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-24. They converted the ensuing two-point attempt to bring the score to 28-26.
With the clock winding down, DeWitt managed to push into Warren territory, but the Lumberjack defense stepped up in a big way. A forced fumble inside the Warren 10-yard line with just minutes remaining virtually sealed the game.
After recovering the turnover, Warren’s offense took the field to run out the clock. The most pivotal play of the game came on a 4th-and-7 with just 1:30 left. Rather than playing it safe, the coaching staff called for a play-action pass, which Denton executed flawlessly. The pass gained eight yards, moving the chains and securing the first down.
With DeWitt out of timeouts, the Lumberjacks were able to kneel on the ball and close out the game, securing the hard-fought 28-26 victory.
This win puts Warren at the top of the 8-4A standings and sets up a showdown next week against the Monticello Billies in the Union Bank Saline River Shootout. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Monticello.
