Warren lit up the field with a blistering aerial performance Friday night, rolling past Gentry 42-23 in the first round of the 4A state playoffs at Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium.
Warren received the opening kickoff after recovering Gentry’s onside attempt and wasted no time. Jackson Denton capped the short-field drive with a 15-yard strike to Bleyze Fellows at the 10:59 mark. Jacarlos Marquez added the first of his six extra points for a 7-0 lead.
Gentry answered with a steady push to the Warren 9, but defensive lineman Louis Woods ended the threat with a drive-stopping sack. The Lumberjacks flipped that stop into more points, as Fellows turned a 34-yard out route into a long cutback run to the end zone for a 14-0 margin with 6:48 left in the first quarter.
Warren extended the lead to 21-0 late in the quarter when Josiah Steen powered in from two yards out.
The Lumberjacks didn’t slow down. Denton found Tayshawn Edwards for a 27-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, pushing the advantage to 28-0. Moments later, Denton hit Fellows again — this time on an 83-yard deep ball down the right sideline — stretching the margin to 35-0 with 7:49 remaining in the half.
Gentry got on the board with a 10-yard touchdown pass at the 5:53 mark, but Warren answered immediately. Denton and Fellows carved up the Pioneer secondary, connecting for four first-half touchdowns as the Lumberjacks built a 42-7 halftime advantage and cruised into the second round. The half ended with Colton Steen picking off a Pioneer pass with 37 seconds remaining.
With the sportsmanship rule in effect, Warren rotated in its second unit after halftime. Gentry trimmed the margin with a 19-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter and later forced a safety with 2:00 left in the fourth quarter to make it 42-16. The Pioneers added a final touchdown with 13 seconds remaining, but the outcome was never in doubt as the Lumberjacks closed out a commanding 42-23 victory.
Warren improved to 8-3 on the season and will go on the road to face top-seeded Gosnell in the second round on Friday, November 21.
