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It is a message the Warren Central football team proudly wears on the back of their shirt.
"You will never see anyone in the entire country:
- Play as hard as I will. - Push their team as hard as I will. - That will play harder than we will the rest of the season.
Warren Central Football 'The Promise"
For Warren Central Senior Elijah Jones, "The Promise" is just one part of being a Warrior.
"To me being a Warrior is coming out here not just to fight to make yourself better," said Jones. "But to fight for everyone else. To see that your brothers succeed as much as you succeed."
It is the theme Warren Central has carried throughout the 2009 IHSAA football season with success, as the Warriors find themselves one game away from advancing to the Class 5A State Championship. But with the defending state champions in Center Grove standing in their way, the Warriors know what it's going to take to be playing on Thanksgiving weekend.
"To make it to state during my senior year, we're going to have to play every play like it's my last," said Brandon Blackburn.
Check Out If Jeremiah Johnson Believes Warren Central Will Advance To The State Finals
Of course, the Warriors know better than anybody left in the state tournament what could possibly happen if a team isn't fully on their game. During the opening week of sectionals, Warren Central was nearly upset by a Franklin Central team, when it took an Eric Wright interception return and Shakir Bell two point conversion late in the fourth quarter for the Warriors to win 14-13. But of course, fighting your way to victory is just one of the other parts of being a Warrior.
"To me to be a Warrior, it's fighting through adversity," said Blackburn. "It's getting everybody and having everybody's backs during the downtime, picking each other up by being a leader, and just never quitting. You're always fighting constantly."
After the opening round of the playoffs, Warren Central hasn't let up yet. The near upset by Franklin Central was followed with a 42-7 thrashing of Perry Meridian, 28-14 victory of Lawrence Central, and a Regional Championship victory over Brownsburg by the score of 14-6 last Friday night.
"The biggest thing about playing in the playoffs is finding a way to advance," said Warren Head Coach John Hart. "That's the key, and that's what our kids did. And we played great defense, you have to win games by playing great defense."
Check Out What Wes Woodward Believes His Key To The Warren Central - Center Grove Matchup Is In His Pick Six
A squad that seems to take great pride in their ability to stop opposing offenses, the Warren Central defense has just allowed an average of ten points per game during the IHSAA play-offs. Elijah Jones, a defensive end, believes the team's success can be traced to it's consistency on the line and their ability to stop the big play.
"For the past few years that I've been playing football, our defensive line has been inconsistent," said Jones. "This year our defensive line is crazy. So that's helping our linebackers out, it's making the quarterback rush the ball for cornerbacks and safeties to get it, so everybody is eating on defense."
"One thing our defense is known for is stopping whatever the best play that they have. Whatever major play they come with, their major play they've been beating all these other teams with, we stop it every time."
But it hasn't just been the Warriors defense that has helped the team advance to the Semi-State championship. Warren Central Senior Shakir Bell, who rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns last week, has the offense running on full throttle.
Also Playing On Friday Night: The Clinton Central Bulldogs And Their Unstoppable Defense
"On the field he (Shakir) is a great player and a great leader," said Head Coach Hart. "And that's the key. He understands that, our seniors understand that, and I think that's what he brings to us."
Coach Hart knows that Bell and the Warren Central defense will have to bring their best on Friday night if they plan on defeating Center Grove, a team they beat 28-14 earlier in the season, to play next weekend.
"They are just tremendously disciplined," said Hart. "They play hard-nosed football when they line up. They are going to try to keep the football away from us, and we understand that. We've seen that a lot in the playoffs where people will trade first downs so they can slow the possessions of the game. And obviously, we want as many possessions that we can get."
But if the Warriors are playing to their potential, it might be difficult for Center Grove to deny them of their possessions. After all, Warren Central sounds like a team that is hungrier than ever.
"It would mean everything," said Jones on what it would mean to make it to state during his senior year. "It's been a goal for me since my freshman year. I've seen Finch, Jeff Boyd, and all those other cats do it. It's just a goal that I always want."
Warren Central hosts Center Grove on Friday night with kick-off set for 7:00 p.m. Full highlights of the game can be found on Fox 59's "Football Friday Night" at 10:35 p.m., and extended highlights can be found after the show on Indysportsnation.com.
"You will never see anyone in the entire country:
- Play as hard as I will. - Push their team as hard as I will. - That will play harder than we will the rest of the season.
Warren Central Football 'The Promise"
For Warren Central Senior Elijah Jones, "The Promise" is just one part of being a Warrior.
"To me being a Warrior is coming out here not just to fight to make yourself better," said Jones. "But to fight for everyone else. To see that your brothers succeed as much as you succeed."
It is the theme Warren Central has carried throughout the 2009 IHSAA football season with success, as the Warriors find themselves one game away from advancing to the Class 5A State Championship. But with the defending state champions in Center Grove standing in their way, the Warriors know what it's going to take to be playing on Thanksgiving weekend.
"To make it to state during my senior year, we're going to have to play every play like it's my last," said Brandon Blackburn.
Check Out If Jeremiah Johnson Believes Warren Central Will Advance To The State Finals
Of course, the Warriors know better than anybody left in the state tournament what could possibly happen if a team isn't fully on their game. During the opening week of sectionals, Warren Central was nearly upset by a Franklin Central team, when it took an Eric Wright interception return and Shakir Bell two point conversion late in the fourth quarter for the Warriors to win 14-13. But of course, fighting your way to victory is just one of the other parts of being a Warrior.
"To me to be a Warrior, it's fighting through adversity," said Blackburn. "It's getting everybody and having everybody's backs during the downtime, picking each other up by being a leader, and just never quitting. You're always fighting constantly."
After the opening round of the playoffs, Warren Central hasn't let up yet. The near upset by Franklin Central was followed with a 42-7 thrashing of Perry Meridian, 28-14 victory of Lawrence Central, and a Regional Championship victory over Brownsburg by the score of 14-6 last Friday night.
"The biggest thing about playing in the playoffs is finding a way to advance," said Warren Head Coach John Hart. "That's the key, and that's what our kids did. And we played great defense, you have to win games by playing great defense."
Check Out What Wes Woodward Believes His Key To The Warren Central - Center Grove Matchup Is In His Pick Six
A squad that seems to take great pride in their ability to stop opposing offenses, the Warren Central defense has just allowed an average of ten points per game during the IHSAA play-offs. Elijah Jones, a defensive end, believes the team's success can be traced to it's consistency on the line and their ability to stop the big play.
"For the past few years that I've been playing football, our defensive line has been inconsistent," said Jones. "This year our defensive line is crazy. So that's helping our linebackers out, it's making the quarterback rush the ball for cornerbacks and safeties to get it, so everybody is eating on defense."
"One thing our defense is known for is stopping whatever the best play that they have. Whatever major play they come with, their major play they've been beating all these other teams with, we stop it every time."
But it hasn't just been the Warriors defense that has helped the team advance to the Semi-State championship. Warren Central Senior Shakir Bell, who rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns last week, has the offense running on full throttle.
Also Playing On Friday Night: The Clinton Central Bulldogs And Their Unstoppable Defense
"On the field he (Shakir) is a great player and a great leader," said Head Coach Hart. "And that's the key. He understands that, our seniors understand that, and I think that's what he brings to us."
Coach Hart knows that Bell and the Warren Central defense will have to bring their best on Friday night if they plan on defeating Center Grove, a team they beat 28-14 earlier in the season, to play next weekend.
"They are just tremendously disciplined," said Hart. "They play hard-nosed football when they line up. They are going to try to keep the football away from us, and we understand that. We've seen that a lot in the playoffs where people will trade first downs so they can slow the possessions of the game. And obviously, we want as many possessions that we can get."
But if the Warriors are playing to their potential, it might be difficult for Center Grove to deny them of their possessions. After all, Warren Central sounds like a team that is hungrier than ever.
"It would mean everything," said Jones on what it would mean to make it to state during his senior year. "It's been a goal for me since my freshman year. I've seen Finch, Jeff Boyd, and all those other cats do it. It's just a goal that I always want."
Warren Central hosts Center Grove on Friday night with kick-off set for 7:00 p.m. Full highlights of the game can be found on Fox 59's "Football Friday Night" at 10:35 p.m., and extended highlights can be found after the show on Indysportsnation.com.
