Trailing 20-13 with the prospect of getting the ball to start the second half, one would expect the Pioneers to come bouncing out of the locker room. Instead, when Warren County returned to the field, the home sideline was filled with exhaustion.

That’s how a tight contest turned into a 41-13 blowout.

With the welcome mat rolled out, Warren County played one of its best halves of the season. Homecoming packed the stands and the Pioneers gave the fans plenty to cheer.

Noah Martin’s big sack and forced fumble ignited the packed crowd at Nunley Stadium. CJ Taylor’s first of two touchdown runs put the Pioneers in the lead.

Even after Shelbyville’s air attack got humming, the Pioneers still showed their will to win. Warren County rallied back with an 18-play march in the second quarter, again capped by the talented sophomore tailback.

Then the wheels fell off.

Shelbyville struck late in the second quarter and never looked back, sending waves of bodies at the gasping Pioneers.

The Eagles on each of their first three drives in the second half, facing only three third-down situations out of their 22 plays. Shelbyville converted twice and the lone third-down stop turned into a 21-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-long.

Simply put, the Pioneers were too tired to put up much resistance.

The effort was there. It’s just hard to sustain when 7-8 players are trying to play every snap on each side of the ball. Oftentimes the Pioneer coaching staff was searching the sidelines, hoping a fresh body would emerge to give a couple of snaps.

It’s been like that all season. It doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon either.

Warren County is in desperate need of a bye week, but it’s not coming for another month. The 40-player (if you’re generous) roster isn’t equipped to trot out a fresh and feisty team for eight straight weeks.

It may not be able to roll out a squad for five.

This Friday’s Coffee County game is one of the most circled on the calendars the day Alontae Taylor walked across the stage to get his diploma in Manchester. Without the guy who is starting on Saturdays in Knoxville now, the Red Raiders are much more of a favorable matchup for the Pioneers.

But does it matter if the Pioneers can’t make it through the game with enough healthy bodies? I guess we’ll find out Friday.

There are 40 kids and a coaching staff out there fighting every Friday, working hard to try to give Warren County some faith football can be successful in town. They just need help.

At risk of sounding like a broken record, skipping back over and over, the Pioneers need more bodies.

They’ve built the facilities. When will more players come?