WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lumberjacks won their seventh consecutive conference game Friday night, defeating the Central High Cougars of Helena-West Helena by the final of 42-8 at home in the fortress of Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium on the Warren School District campus.
The orange and black came into the ballgame looking to continue their excellent run of form, having just shutout Monticello the week prior in the Union Bank and Trust Saline River Shootout. The Central Cougars found themselves in almost the exact opposite spot, scrapping to get clear of the bottom of the 8-4A table just ahead of Dumas whom they beat back in early September by the final of 26-8.
Top photo: Warren’s Neon’dre Thomas takes a breather during a timeout. The sophomore was the Lumberjacks’ second leading receiver on the night in Warren’s win over Central. Photo by Robert Camp.
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Although the Jacks received the opening kickoff, a sputtering first drive saw a couple of dropped passes and a penalty force a punt.
Warren’s defense took care of business on the following drive. Central would go three and out and punt right back to the Jacks.
The Lumberjack offense found a little rhythm on their second drive which began from their own 42-yard-line. Maddox Lassiter connected with Ervin Rivera for a 17-yard gain. Warren did manage to make their way deep into Cougar territory, but the drive stalled once more, this time in the red zone. The Jacks turned it over on downs.
The lone Central threat of the ballgame came just a few seconds later as the Cougars busted a huge run off the right tackle and out wide. The play resulted in a field flip, setting up Central with a chance to go ahead midway through the first quarter. Defensively however Warren dug in and eventually shut the drive down for a turnover as Central was unable to punch it into the end zone.
Coach Hembree’s Jacks went back to work from their own nine-yard-line with 3:58 to go in the first. After maneuvering to midfield, senior quarterback Maddox Lassiter fired a bullet at Antonio Jordan on a wide hitch route. The sophomore receiver made the grab, turned, juked two defenders nearly out of their shoes, and took it 46 yards to the house for Warren’s first touchdown of the night. Jose Jacinto’s extra point put the Jacks up 7-0.
Warren struck again with 8:55 to go in the second quarter. Lassiter this time went to Neon’dre Thomas. One of Warren’s other talented receivers out of this sophomore class, Thomas went high to beat the defender, making the catch and scoring. The 49-yard touchdown pass put the Jacks up 14-0 after the Jacinto point after.
Thomas came up big again about three minutes later on the defensive side of the ball. After starting with decent field position near midfield, Central aired a long ball into the end zone. Thomas was there to intercept the pass for a touchback, stretching out his arms and making a superb nab. The interception was Thomas’s third in the last two games.
After the turnover, Warren marched 80 yards downfield and added another seven points. Lassiter again went to the air, finding Jordan on a seven-yard slant route to make it 21-0 following Jacinto’s extra point.
Central never really found a way through Warren’s first-team defense. The Cougars were forced to punt on their next drive, setting up the Jacks at their own 31.
Lassiter wasted no time in extending the woodsmen’s lead. On the first play of the drive, he zipped a rope to Jordan, who tucked it away and hauled it 69 yards for the score. Jacinto again was good on the extra point to make it 28-0 Jacks with 2:40 to go in the half.
Coach Hembree saw an opportunity to put the game to bed if the defense could make another quick stop. They did just that, forcing yet another Central punt.
The excellent defensive play set the orange and black up near midfield with 1:15 to go before the half. A fast sequence led to another Lassiter-Jordan connection. With 51 seconds to go before the midway point, Lassiter tossed a ball up to Jordan in the corner of the north end zone. The 6’5” sophomore played it to perfection, winning the jump ball and bringing it down for the death blow. Jacinto converted the point after to put Warren up 35-0 at the half.
With the 35-point sportsmanship rule in effect, the second half went by at a lightning pace. Central did break the shutout with 1:57 left in the third to make it 35-8.
A ton of Warren’s second men up on the depth chart saw time in the second half, both offensively and defensively. One of those who has been getting more and more touches at tailback was Sophomore Cody Weatherspoon. He put Warren up 42-8 midway through the fourth through a four-yard rushing touchdown. That would be the final as Warren wrapped up their eighth win of the season.
Although he saw no time at quarterback in the second half, Maddox Lassiter went 15 of 24 for 315 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He was named the Saline River Chronicle Player of the Game, his third time winning the honor this season.
The Jacks went heavy through the air on the night. Antonio Jordan led the effort with four touchdown catches and 168 yards receiving.
Neon’dre Thomas followed him with one touchdown and 69 yards receiving.
Both Ervin Rivera and Jalin Lee were credited with receptions as well.
Lassiter also ran for 30 yards on two carries, but the Jacks were led on the ground by Cody Weatherspoon with 10 touches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
Warren had a total of 422 yard of offense.
Lassiter posted nine tackles on the defensive side of the ball.
Delfino Rivera had seven tackles.
Weston Gavin and Race Frazer each had a sack on the night, while Ervin Rivera made six tackles, and Neon’dre Thomas had one interception.
The Jacks will look to finish off the 2022 regular season next week as they host a struggling Hamburg Lions team. That game is on Thursday, November 3. Kickoff is at the normal time of 7:00 p.m. at Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium in Warren.