WARREN, Ark. – Appearing in their one and only preseason scrimmage ahead of the 2022 high school football season, the Warren Lumberjacks hosted Little Rock Central Thursday, evening, August 18, 2022 at Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium in Warren, putting up 40 points in a lopsided win over the 7A Central Conference side.
Top photo: Jalin Lee rises to intercept a Little Rock Central pass during the first half of Thursday’s preseason game. Photo by Robert Camp.
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The game’s format was not set up in a full four-quarter situation. Instead, the first half was played through a series of set plays for the first and second-team offenses and defenses. Some series started from the 20, while others posed RedZone situations for each squad. The format was also set up to protect special teams play, with no live kickoffs or punts.
Senior kicker Jose Jacinto got the game underway by booting a nice ball near the five. Central would receive eight plays on their first offensive series from the 30-yard line. The tigers tested Warren deep downfield early, but senior defensive back Lee Johnson was there to make the play. That was a sign of things to come, particularly for Johnson. The Jacks held Central through their first four plays, and in a regular-game situation would have forced a punt.
Warren’s offense took their first possession moments later. Junior tailback Treylon Jackson received the handoff and burst through the interior, sprinting 70 yards for the opening touchdown. Not a single Central defender came close to getting a finger on the Jack back. No extra points were attempted in the opening half in agreement with the game’s format, so Warren took a 6-0 lead.
The orange and black struck again on their next possession, this time in the air. Starting quarterback Maddox Lassiter bumped out to wide receiver, while Jackson set up at the offensive helm. Lassiter ran a post route through the middle, and Jackson delivered a strike for a 21-yard touchdown. Warren’s lead extended to 12-0. Again, no extra point was attempted.
The switch between quarterback and tailback for Lassiter and Jackson may be a feature we see quite often this season depending on the situation.
The Lumberjack secondary came up big a few series later. Senior Jalin Lee picked poached the first interception of the night. He’ll be a major focus for offensive coordinators looking to avoid turnovers this season.
Little Rock Central’s biggest chance came on a situational series where each offense started from the 20. The Tigers moved the ball as far as the Jack five-yard line. However, a penalty pushed them just beyond the ten. On fourth and goal they went to the air. A pass into the end zone looked all but a done-deal-touchdown, but Warren’s heavy hitter in the secondary, Lee Johnson, applied the hit and jolted the ball loose for an incompletion and turnover on downs.
Lassiter went back to quarterback for Warren’s first red zone situational drive. He connected with sophomore big man Antonio Jordan in the corner for another touchdown. The extra point was attempted and converted by Jacinto to make it 19-0 Jacks.
Lassiter added another touchdown in the final situational drive of the half, plowing his way into the end zone on a quarterback power play up the middle from two yards out. Warren led 26-0 at the halftime break.
The second half format was organized as a full 12-minute quarter with a real-game clock and true downs. Each team played till they scored, punted, or turned the ball over.
Sophomore Bryson Harris came up with a big sack on Central’s quarterback on the first tiger drive. The six-foot, 290-pound defensive lineman was a standout among the youth for Warren on the night.
Lassiter took Warren’s first possession of the second half and tossed a beauty of a pass to senior wideout Tayshawn Johnson for an 80-yard bomb. Jacinto’s extra point was again good to further the Jacks’ lead to 33-0.
Warren’s defense held strong again on the next Tiger drive, maintaining the shutout.
Lassiter added another score near the end, running another quarterback power for a one-yard touchdown. Jacinto tacked on the point after to give us the final of 40-0.
Senior Delfino Rivera led the orange and black defensively with five tackles to his credit, two of which were for a loss.
Defensive lineman Tyrone Graves had a solid night as well. The senior tallied four tackles.
Landon Wolfe, another senior on this experienced Warren defense claimed four tackles in the game, one being for a loss of yards.
Other defensive standouts included Treylon Jackson who posted three tackles and a knocked-down pass in the secondary.
Lee Johnson had arguably the biggest night for Warren in the passing defense. The senior broke up three Central passes, one being a touchdown-saving hit.
Sophomore Bryson Harris had Warren’s lone sack. It’s important to note however that the game setup was built to blow the play dead if a quarterback looked to be hit, so Warren may very well have picked up a few more sacks on a regular night of football.
Offensively, the Lumberjacks were led by a big running attack at the hands of that talented offensive line and Treylon Jackson. He ran the ball 12 times for a total of 177 yards. Two of his carries were for 40 or more yards. He averaged 14.75 yards per carry. He scored one touchdown on the ground.
Warren’s three other leading rushers on the night were Landon Wolfe with 22 yards on four carries, Maddox Lassiter with 19 yards on four carries and two touchdowns, and Tayshawn Johnson with 19 yards on three carries.
Lassiter threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns, his longest being an 80-yard toss to Tayshawn Johnson.
Jackson’s work at quarterback returned 74 yards through the air. His longest completion went to sophomore wideout Kam Davis for 53 yards.
Warren’s plethora of receivers totaled 194 yards against Little Rock Central. Antonio Jordan had one grab for 20 yards and a touchdown. Lassiter picked up six points on a 21-yard catch.
The Lumberjacks hit the road next week, Friday, August 26 as they travel to Stuttgart for a non-conference clash with the number one ranked Ricebirds out of the 2-4A. Hootens.com has Stuttgart picked to finish third in class 4A, making this a top three battle and one of the biggest games in Arkansas next week.
Good job.