Vikings push aside October distractions, keep winning

Mississippi’s high school football teams have a lot to deal with in October. Not only does the schedule ramp up with the start of region play, the early-season rhythm is disrupted by bye weeks, fall break and homecoming games.

Warren Central is proud to have reached a level of zen where none of that chaos seems to be an issue.

The Vikings (6-0, 1-0 MHSAA Region 2-6A) came off a bye last Friday and blew out Ridgeland in their region opener. The homecoming game is up next, this Friday vs. Greenville (3-3, 0-1), and if the Vikings struggle coach Josh Morgan said it won’t be because they aren’t dialed in on the task and goals in front of them.

“The guys have done a really good job of being committed to what we’re doing, and this is the next thing we have to deal with, so we have to understand where our priority needs to be and when it’s time to go to work that we’re on point and we’re working. We shouldn’t have an issue with it at all,” Morgan said.

Warren Central was dominant in its 49-21 win over Ridgeland, a team that pushed it to the limit in last year’s Class 6A semifinals. The Vikings jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, then put it away with three touchdowns in the first six minutes of the third.

Five players scored touchdowns and they rushed for 291 yards and only ran 35 offensive plays. Running backs Javid Scott and Xavier Jackson both went over 100 yards, while leading rusher Nash Morgan was barely needed. He only had two carries for one yard, but did throw two touchdown passes. The defense had 11 tackles for loss and the special teams set up a touchdown with a blocked punt.

“That’s been a week that, over the years, has been tough,” Josh Morgan said. “You’re off from school and going into a difficult atmosphere. We wanted to make it a point where we were focused on what we were going to do and how we were going to do it. Our energy level is going to be at a certain spot and we’re going to start fast and play good. That’s what our guys did.”

Warren Central has won 15 games in a row overall. Morgan was just as proud of the region-specific streak that started Oct. 7, 2022 with a win over Northwest Rankin. The current 21-game region winning streak is the program’s longest since a school-record 28-game run from 1988-94. There was a 43-game unbeaten streak from 1973-80 that included one tie in 1975.

“The consistency is what we’re after, for sure,” Morgan said. “The reason that winning a district championship is so important is it sets you up to win the big one. This year, the winner of our district will have homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and it don’t get any bigger than that.”

Warren Central has only lost to Greenville once in 29 meetings since 1981, back in 2010. Since then, Warren Central has claimed a COVID-related forfeit in 2020 and scored at least 30 points in the other 10 games.

Greenville, though, is enjoying a bit of a renaissance under Tavares Johnson Sr. The former Vicksburg High coach has Greenville at .500 and looking like a possible playoff team. It threw a scare into Neshoba Central last week, jumping to a 16-0 lead in the first half before ultimately losing 32-22.

Although the Hornets didn’t win, Morgan said they raised a few eyebrows around the state — including in his own fieldhouse.

“Greenville has players. They can make plays and do things a lot of people can’t do. Neshoba found that out last week,” Morgan said. “That’s what we always tell our guys when we’re playing teams like Greenvile has is they’ve got guys that are very explosive and can make plays, so we have to be on point.”

———

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES

All games start at 7 p.m.

Greenville at Warren Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)

Vicksburg at Provine (Radio: 107.7 FM)

Madison-St. Joe at St. Al (Radio: 101.3 FM)

Porter's Chapel at Christ Covenant (Radio: 104.5 FM)

Briarfield at Tallulah Academy

Jefferson County at Port Gibson

Delhi Charter at Madison Parish