The bye week is always an opportune time for reflection.
For the Warren County High School football team, the Pioneers enter their bye week this Friday with a 1-2 record. Based on early indications, the rushing attack is clearly the strength, while questions still linger around other aspects of the team.
The Pioneer running game has been relentless, beginning with a 305-yard performance against DeKalb County in the season opener. For the year, Warren County is averaging 262.6 yards on the ground per game.
A powerful offensive line can take much of the credit, along with bruising RB Raleigh Woods. Woods has broken the 100-yard mark and scored a TD in every game.
“I think our offensive line really came off the ball well against Cookeville and Raleigh had the best game he's played for us,” said WCHS coach Tom Moore. “He ran for 130 yards and broke a lot of tackles.”
The running game was in rhythm, but the Pioneers couldn’t defeat Cookeville as the Cavs prevailed 35-12 last week at Nunley Stadium. It was a game where the Cavs had just a little too much quickness for Warren County.
“We were in the game and three or four plays made the difference,” said coach Moore. “We had a fumble at their 35-yard line as we were moving the ball and that changed field position if nothing else. Then that big play right before the half was just tragic for us. It would have been 14-6 at the half with neither team having momentum. Instead it was 21-6 and they had momentum. A play like that really takes the air out of you.”
The highlight of the year is Warren County’s 31-7 win over Lebanon in Week 2. It’s a game that saw coach Moore get a Gatorade bath at the end.
The passing game has been a disappointment as evident in the Cookeville game where the Pioneers only caught one pass for 11 yards.
“We can’t afford to be one-dimensional and really no team in our region can afford to be,” said coach Moore. “It’s so much easier to defend than a team that can run and throw. Against Cookeville, we didn’t execute in our passing game. That’s not just the quarterback. We had some drops. We had some people who weren’t in the right place. We have to work on our pass blocking. And of course it’s the quarterback too, so executing in the passing game is something we’re going to work on.”
For the season, the Pioneer offense is averaging 16.6 points per game, while the defense is surrendering 23 points per game.
After their bye week, the Pioneers have to face a high-octane Smyrna team that’s currently ranked No. 5 in Class 6A. The Bulldogs are coming off a 56-10 drubbing of Coffee County last week.
Against Coffee County, Smyrna averaged 20.5 yards per play and scored all eight of its TDs from more than 10 yards out. The Bulldogs ran just 26 plays, yet piled up more than 525 yards of offense.
While the WCHS varsity team won’t play this week, the Pioneer freshman/ JV team will play Upperman this Thursday at Nunley Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.