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Basking in the glow
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When Cumberland County running back Eric Tolles was barely touched on his way to a 61-yard touchdown on the third play of Friday’s District 6-AAA showdown, all the energy in Nunley Stadium seemed gone.After Warren County had its first two drives end with a fumbled exchange and interception, Pioneer fans started preparing for the worst.Why wouldn’t the home crowd, which had seen Warren County lose its last 15 games, seven of which happened at Nunley Stadium? Instead of slipping back into old habits though, the Pioneers persevered and big plays followed.When Lee Carden, who started only his second game at quarterback, connected with Jeremiah Lance on a 62-yard touchdown late in the first quarter, the Pioneers had the crowd going. Seconds later, Warren County would have its first lead of 2012.Drew Davidson snuck in for a two-point conversion after a botched snap on the extra point, putting the Pioneers ahead for good.With Carden leading the air arsenal with three touchdowns and junior running back Cameron Lusk bowling over Jet defenders on his way to 160 yards rushing, the Pioneers blew out the Jets 37-13.It was a far cry from the first two weeks of the season as Warren County suffered a 50-0 defeat to DeKalb County, made worse by the team losing its top two quarterbacks, and lost to Shelbyville 47-13.The common theme from the first two weeks was the Pioneers’ inability to make big plays on offense, while their opponents seemingly had their way with the Warren County defense.Coach Tommy Johnson’s team flipped the script Thursday and it landed the Pioneers at the top of the District 6-AAA standings for the first time in Johnson’s three-year tenure.Carden had three touchdown passes, two accounting for the longest plays from scrimmage for the Pioneers this season.