To many Warren County fans, it’s still the best football game ever played at Nunley Stadium. To the players involved, it was exhausting. To the coaches, it was exhilarating. To all, it’s remembered with reverence.
On a humid August night in 2009, the Pioneers and DeKalb County Tigers clashed in a game featuring some of the program’s biggest stars, two coaches who sit near the top of their program’s record books and fan bases eager to see who would win a much-anticipated border battle. With both teams featuring unstoppable offenses, the Tigers and Pioneers stood toe-to-toe trading haymakers. Finally, the last punch landed when Michael Thrower hauled in an 82-yard touchdown from Bradley Steg in the final minutes to push the Pioneers to a 49-42 victory.
“I ran a wheel route, broke one tackle and went the distance,” said Thrower, now an assistant football coach at Marian College in Indianapolis. “I was cramping the entire second half. All I could think about was getting across the goal line. That was a wild game.”
Little did either team know when the night started that the game would end with the most points ever scored in a regulation game in Warren County history. Both teams were coming off playoff berths, and DeKalb County rolled into McMinnville with confidence after its first-ever win over the Pioneers in the previous season.
In the boxing world, styles make the fight. In 2009, with Hunter Poteete commanding a spread attack for the Tigers and Steg guiding an option look for the Pioneers, styles clashed to make for an epic fight on the gridiron.
“It was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever coached,” said Chris Madewell, the head coach for the Pioneers from 2003-09 who guided the program to 22 wins – four of which came over DeKalb County. “After their first win in the series, the Tigers showed up with some new confidence. Every time we would score on a long run, they would score on a long pass. We finally came out on top.”
Poteete accounted for every yard from scrimmage for the Tigers, finishing with 363 yards passing and 96 yards on the ground. The star senior quarterback threw for five touchdowns and added another one rushing.
“The 2009 game had the best collection of talent on both sides that I’ve seen,” said Caleb Northcutt, the Pioneers No. 2 all-time rusher who finished the contest with 145 yards and a touchdown. “Poteete made everything work for them and he had some great playmakers, (Abram) Edwards and Sonni (Young). They were loaded on offense.”
The Pioneers were too. Steg couldn’t be contained as he totaled 282 yards - 182 coming on option keepers. Steg accounted for three scores, including the game winner on the connection with Thrower. He also had a 17-yard run to put the Pioneers up 21-7 in the first quarter and another 58-yard run which pushed Warren County ahead 42-28 in the third.
Not taking much time to score and making house calls from long distance was established from kickoff. Franklin Martin Jr., who developed a reputation over his career of playing his best against DeKalb County, started the contest by returning the opening kickoff 84 yards for a score. Martin finished the contest with six sacks as well.
“There was just something about playing against Smithville,” said Martin, who returned as a senior the following year and racked up 100 yards rushing, a fourth-quarter touchdown run and the game-sealing INT in the Pioneers’ 16-13 victory in Smithville. “My favorite football memory was probably the return touchdown in 2009.”
The Tigers answered on the ensuing possession when Poteete hit Edwards on a 36-yard scoring strike. On the night, Edwards would haul in 12 passes for 209 yards and two scores. The Tigers star reciever, too, had a penchant for playing his best against the Pioneers.
“I had a chip on my shoulder. We heard from the media and people close to Warren that their whole game plan was to stop Hunter and me,” said Edwards, who helped rewrite both school and state record books in his time with the Tigers. “We were on a mission to prove that we couldn’t be stopped. Their game plan didn’t work, but they still won the game.”
The Pioneers would tack on three straight rushing touchdowns (24 yards by Jay Hutchins, Steg from 17 yards out and Mark Harvey’s 20-yard burst in the second quarter), but Poteete would answer right before halftime with a short scoring scamper to make it 28-14 at halftime.
The third quarter would see Warren County score on 58-yard runs by Northcutt and Steg, but Poteete countered with two touchdown throws to Frank Morris and another to Sonni Young.
By the time Poteete and Edwards hooked up on a 70-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, the game was tied 42-42 with time dwindling down.
The Pioneers had the ball late and, instead of turning to a ground game that churned over 400 yards out in the contest, coach Madewell looked to the air. Steg had a vivid memory of the play back in 2009.
“I rolled out, and saw Michael with his hand up in the air,” Steg told the Standard in the postgame interview. “I had confidence that he would catch it, and he’s such a great athlete I knew he would be able to do something big after the catch.”
The ending was sweet for the Pioneers, but the Tigers would go on to have the better overall season (7-5 to the Pioneers’ 4-6 campaign). It may not have been the launching point to postseason success for either team, it’s still one of the most memorable moments for all involved.
The 2009 game was a competition that cemented a rivalry and, more so, respect on each side.
Former Pioneers remember 2009
“I have great respect for Smithville, especially Potette and Edwards,” said Thrower. “We hated each other on the field, but we respected each other off the field. It’s a rivalry, but there’s obviously admiration between both teams.”
“The year of the shootout, we knew we had to try to slow down Poteete,” added Cody Robinson, a former Pioneer who went on to play football at Duke University. “Coach Trapp is so great at putting together game plans to minimize our defensive impact. They got the ball out quick, but we made some big plays at the right times.”
“Coach Trapp has done an awesome job during his tenure,” said Madewell. “He’s developed some talented quarterbacks over the years.”
Former Tigers remember 2009
“That was a great game, even though we came up on the losing end,” said Poteete. “Coach Trapp told us their game plan was to stop us (Abram and I), and we took it as a challenge. We had a great comeback effort, but Caleb Northcutt and Michael Thrower were really good athletes as well and hard to stop."
“I remember the following Monday, asking the team, 'How do you score 42 points and lose?' I asked Hunter if they stopped him and he said 'no.' I asked Abram if they stopped him and he said 'no.' How in the world did we lose?” said coach Trapp, who has led the Tigers in all 12 meetings against Warren County from 2012. “As a fan, it's a very memorable game.”
“I messed up the coin toss and we ended up kicking off to start both halves. I also had a kick return I brought back for a touchdown that was called back. Those two things change and I have no doubt we win the game,” Edwards recalled. “I gave everything I had. I set a record for all-purpose yards and chased down sweeps on defense. I was exhausted and couldn't even walk off the field under my own strength. An assistant carried me off the field. What a game, I'll never forget it."
