TURBOTVILLE – Warrior Run is barreling toward the playoffs and if the Defenders are going to have success in the postseason, it will need to come via the same way they had success on Friday.
Matching up against a winless Central Columbia team, Warrior Run, which entered its penultimate regular season game second in the District 4 Class 2A standings, forced a pair of turnovers in the first half and its offense was very efficient as it posted a 56-0 shutout victory over the Bluejays to improve to 8-1 on the season.
“There were a lot of things going on tonight, senior night and I don’t like breaking routines, so there were some different things, but overall the offense and defense both played well,” said Warrior Run coach Derrick Zechman. “James was efficient like he has been all year, protecting the ball, getting the ball to our playmakers, so I’m excited where we’re at, but you can throw the records out next week with a big rivalry game. We need a really good week of practice to cap off a solid regular season.”
That offensive efficiency was needed for the Defenders as Central held onto the ball for a majority of the first half. The Defenders were only able to run four offensive plays in the first quarter as Central held onto the ball and managed to move it some despite not being able to score. The Bluejays ran 28 plays in the first half to just 18 for Warrior Run.
Despite having the ball kept out of its hands for an extended period, Warrior Run still managed to take a 35-0 lead at halftime. James Keifer threw for four touchdowns on 7-of-8 pass with 198 yards, while Cohen Zechman hauled in five passes for 126 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Denyn Beachel surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark on the season with an even 100-yard performance with a touchdown.
After Central chewed up nearly half of the first quarter with an eight-play opening drive before punting, Keifer hit Zechman in stride on a seam route down the middle for a 55-yard touchdown on the Defenders’ first offensive play of the game.
The Bluejays chewed up nearly the rest of the first quarter before turning it over on downs. Warrior Run then put together a six-play, 52-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Tyler Ulrich at the 10:44 mark of the second quarter.
“Credit to Central, they were moving the ball on us, playing keep away,” said Zechman. “We did a lot when we had the ball but we need to do it a little bit better.”
The Defenders did do better from there defensively, creating turnovers on Central’s next two drives, both on interceptions by Maxwell Fogelman. His first pick set up Warrior Run at the Central 19, and three plays later, Keifer hit Ulrich for a 20-yard touchdown reception.
Fogelman returned his next pick 46 yards, and on the first play of the Defenders’ subsequent drive, Keifer rolled out to his right and hit Zechman for a nine-yard touchdown pass.
“Max had a great game and that was big,” said Zechman. “Our defense has been doing a great job getting turnovers. We need to do bend, not break and create turnovers defensively and if we can protect the ball offensively, that’s a good recipe and we’re going to need to continue to do that.”
Warrior Run took over at its own 23 after a Central punt and penalty on the return, its worst starting field position of the game. But that wasn’t a problem as five plays later, Keifer hit Ulrich on a seam route up the middle again for a 52-yard touchdown to make it 35-0 just before the half.
While the Defenders did most of their offensive damage through the air in the first half, they went to the ground for most of the second with the running clock. Warrior Run started from its own 8-yard line after receiving the second half kickoff, and from there, Beachel ran the ball six straight times, racking up all 92 yards and scoring on a nine-yard touchdown run.
Warrior Run’s second stringers scored two more touchdowns later in the second half as backup quarterback Logan Stevenson hit Liam Moore in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. Bryson Weigel capped the scoring with a four-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
For Central, its success this season is going to be measured in improvement for a young squad that is building for the future. Though it wasn’t measurable on the scoreboard once again, Central coach Ky Seesholtz was happy with what his team showed.
“Our kids had a great resilience, pride and effort tonight,” said Seesholtz. “We found something. I don’t know exactly what it was, but there was a difference tonight, even if the score doesn’t reflect it. I told our guys this game is based on good and bad plays. Defensively, we let up a few big touchdown passes, and offensively, we got some penalties and turnovers and that’s what kills drives. No football team can withstand those and win so we just have to keep going but I’m very proud of our effort and pride.”
Warrior Run 56, Central Columbia 0
Central Columbia (0-9) 0 0 0 0 – 0
Warrior Run (8-1) 7 28 14 7 – 56
First quarter
6:29 – (WR) Cohen Zechman 55-yard pass from James Keifer (McCormick kick), 1-55, :10
Second quarter
10:44 – (WR) Tyler Ulrich 1-yard run (McCormick kick), 6-52, 2:40
7:33 – (WR) Tyler Ulrich 20-yard pass from James Keifer (McCormick kick), 3-19, 1:27
5:24 – (WR) Cohen Zechman 9-yard pass from James Keifer (McCormick kick), 1-4, :10
:56 – (WR) Tyler Ulrich 52-yard pass from James Keifer (McCormick), 5-73, 1:39
Third quarter
7:56 – (WR) Denyn Beachel 9-yard run (McCormick kick), 6-92, 4:04
:53 – (WR) Liam Moore 14-yard pass from Logan Stevenson (McCormick kick), 6-34, 4:36
Fourth quarter
8:12 – (WR) Bryson Weigel 4-yard run (McCormick kick), 3-61, 1:57
Statistics
CC WR
First downs 4 19
Rushes-net yards 21-28 29-206
Passing yardage 81 212
Passing 8-16-0-2 8-9-5-0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0
Penalties-yards 8-56 4-34
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Central Columbia: Dominic Keller (7-7), Josiah Hosler (6-8), Demir Wood (5-13), Aiden Mahamadou (2-4), Cole Horrax (1-(-4)); Warrior Run: Denyn Beachel (8-100-1), Bryson Weigel (7-88-1), Carter Little (5-20), Maxwell Fogelman (3-7), Team (3-(-3)), Tyler Ulrich (2-5-1), James Keifer (1-(-11))
PASSING: Central Columbia: Josiah Hosler (8-16-81-0-2); Warrior Run: James Keifer (7-8-198-4-0), Logan Stevenson (1-1-14-1-0)
RECEIVING: Central Columbia: Gavin Larson (3-27), Gannon Carpenter (2-15), Connor Litchfield (1-28), Eli Geedy (1-4), Noah Musselman (1-(-9)); Warrior Run: Cohen Zechman (5-126-2), Tyler Ulrich (2-72-2), Liam Moore (1-14-1)