Warren Central overcomes McLaurin, Cathedral in 42-28 win
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
Warren Central’s players had grown tired of folks questioning if the Warriors were elite anymore.
Warren was coming off an uncharacteristic 5-6 season, and the Warriors had lost this year’s opener against Center Grove, fueling whispers that the mighty program that has won seven state titles was coming back to the pack.
Not yet, the Warriors said. They answered their critics with a resounding 42-28 home victory over Cathedral.
“It was really important,” Warren Central’s Darius Lee said. “Everybody was doubting us, really, so we needed to get the win and show them that Warren Central is back on top, show them that Warren Central knows how to finish instead of just start.”
The Warriors held on despite a staggering night from Cathedral’s Terry McLaurin. The 6-foot, 190-pound Ohio State commitment caught nine passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns.
“Is that it?” Warren Central coach Jayson West joked after his first win as the Warriors’ coach.
McLaurin had two touchdowns called back, including an 84-yard punt return.
“What a player he is,” West said. “Ohio State’s getting not only a great receiver, but what a class act he is. He’s very sharp, carries himself very well. They’re going to get a good one. His top end speed is amazing. He’s not a soft receiver by any means, his breaks are nice. He’s definitely a big-time receiver.”
Cathedral’s Collin Barthel passed for 367 yards and four touchdowns. He had 292 of those yards by halftime.
“Barthel, it’s his first year (as starting quarterback), but he looks like he’s been playing for 20,” West said.
Warren gained control of the game in the second half when its running game was able to keep Cathedral’s offense on the sideline.
“We don’t want them on the field,” West said. “They’re pretty amazing with the ball.”
Warren Central’s offense met the challenge. The Warriors struggled offensively against Center Grove, but bounced back with 276 yards rushing on 41 attempts.
McLaurin scored his second touchdown pass, an 80-yarder, with 6:54 left in the first quarter, giving him 132 yards for the game and Cathedral a 14-7 lead.
Lee came right back with his 90-yard kickoff return.
“I caught the ball, saw my blockers, saw the hole I and took it,” Lee said.
Lee then scored on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Jeff George.
George then connected with Dakota Gillespie for a 20-yard score — George’s third touchdown pass of the first half — to put Warren Central up 28-14.
McLaurin struck again for a 74-yard touchdown on a screen pass, but a 43-yard punt return by Jay Coe set the Warriors up in Cathedral territory late in the half. Adrian Smith scored his second touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run with 51 seconds left in the second quarter to put the Warriors up 35-21. Cathedral reached the Warren Central 15 on its final drive of the half but failed to score.
George and Barthel combined for 388 yards and six touchdown passes in the first half.
George completed 6 of 14 passes for 130 yards and the three scores. All three of his completions in the first half went for touchdowns.
“Most teams think we can’t throw, just because … I really don’t know why, but most teams think we’re just a run team,” Lee said. “We got off to a passing start. That really warmed up Jeff, and he did what he had to do.”
McLaurin’s long punt return two minutes into the second half would have made it a one-touchdown game. Instead, the Irish ended up punting.
Cathedral had another chance to draw closer, but Barthel threw incomplete on a fourth-and-1 from the Warren Central 33. On the ensuing possession, Warren Central put the game out of reach with a 32-yard touchdown run by Tirone Young early in the fourth quarter that bumped the Warriors’ lead to 42-21.
Young led the Warriors with 156 yards on 13 carries. Lee had the 70-yard touchdown catch and the 90-yard kickoff return for a score and ran nine times for 33 yards.
It was just the kind of win Warren Central needed to feel like Warren Central again.
“It’s a great win for the kids,” West said. “Any time you can go against a quality program and get a quality win, you’ve got to mark that up to a nice night.”
Cathedral (0-2) 14 7 0 7 — 28
Warren Central (1-1) 21 14 0 7 — 42
C — Terry McLaurin 10 pass from Collin Barthel (Mitch Gerbers kick)
WC — Adrian Smith 6 pass from Jeff George (Max Hernandez kick)
C — McLaurin 80 pass from Barthel (Gerbers kick)
WC — Darius Lee 90 kickoff return (Hernandez kick)
WC — Lee 70 pass from George (Hernandez kick)
WC — Dakota Gillespie 20 pass from George (Hernandez kick)
C — McLaurin 74 pass from Barthel (Gerbers kick)
WC — Smith 2 run (Hernandez kick)
WC — Tyrone Young 32 run (Hernandez kick)
C — Evan Whigham 11 pass from Barthel (Gerbers kick)
