WARREN COUNTY PIONEER PHOTO GALLERY
The 2023 Warren County High School Pioneers football team’s season (1-9) came to an end at Father Ryan High School Friday night in Nashville. Father Ryan (4-6) extends their season next week in the Division II Class AAA State Playoffs. For the Pioneers, it was not the season the team had envisioned back in August, but even when the scoreboard was not in their favor, they refused to quit. The final score was 49-16.
All 16 of Warren County’s points came in the second half, and both touchdowns were setup by turnovers created by the Pioneer defense. Gage Harris made an interception that led to a 10-play, 89-yard drive. Senior Alex van Vuuren completed a 34-yard pass to sophomore Adrian Harris on that drive. Junior Creed Adams rushed for 36 yards over six plays to finish the drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
The second Pioneer score was setup by senior Aiden Miller’s fumble recovery. The Pioneers offense went on a 79-yard drive in three plays that ended on a 67-yard touchdown run by Adrian Harris. Warren County converted 2-point conversions after both touchdowns to create the total of 16 points. The Pioneers were outscored in the first half by six Father Ryan touchdowns — 42 points.
Father Ryan’s offense benefited from generous field position and turnovers in the opening half. Father Ryan started their first drive for a touchdown from Warren County’s 35-yard line. The Irish blocked a Warren County field goal, and returned it 80-yards for their second touchdown. Father Ryan intercepted a pass and then mounted a drive for their third touchdown. Father Ryan blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown for their fourth touchdown. Warren County faked a punt on fourth down from its own 34-yard line, and failed to make the first down. Father Ryan took possession, and six plays later on a reverse run, the Irish went up 35-0. Next, a bad Warren County punt of 15-yards gave Father Ryan the ball on Warren County’s 33-yard line. The Irish scored three plays later to go up 42-0. Father Ryan’s final score came on the opening drive of the second half. Their second-string put together an 8-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a 49-0 lead.
After a devastating first half and an opening score in the second half, a major let down by the Pioneers would not have been unexpected. Yet, to the team and coaching staff’s credit, the Pioneers bounced back. After the game, head coach Matt Turner thanked the team for responding to his challenge at halftime to finish strong in the final two quarters. The Pioneers showed determination, which provided a positive response to a blistering first half.
Before leaving the field at the end of the game, defensive coordinator Camron Bond challenged the team to hit the weight room after taking a break from the season. Bond said, “I encourage you to play other sports, but you still need to hit the weight room. If you do not commit to the weight room in the offseason, you have to question your commitment to this program.”
PLAYER COMMENTS
Junior Creed Adams had a gutsy game on both offense and defense. Adams showed some power as a running back. After the game Adams said, “We obviously have to go to work in the offseason. That is my main focus right now. I like playing running back. I asked them if I could, and they let me play there. That touchdown run and drive felt great.”
Junior lineman Xander McCormick has started since his freshman year. He has been a force on defense and has made stops in opponents’ backfields all season. After the game, McCormick said, “That was a strong team. We have to get better and hit the weight room. I have visited some colleges….Kentucky, EKU (Eastern Kentucky), MTSU, and I go to Louisville this weekend.”
FINAL COMMENTS
Father Ryan was what head coach Matt Turner called a “higher caliber” private school team. They did not make mistakes, and Warren County hurt themselves by committing penalties and turning the ball over in the first half. The Pioneers were down by 14 points very quickly in the game.
There are juniors and sophomores who showed grit against Father Ryan and throughout Warren County’s season. Some injured players will heal and be back for next season. The Pioneer faithful owe this year’s seniors a lot of gratitude for continuing to show up and keeping the Pioneer football program alive.
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