Warriors tame Lions for sectional championship

The Winamac Warrior football team added another chapter to their 2016 storybook season Friday night in the Class 2A Sectional No. 34 championship game at Roudebush Field. Coming in against No. 8 ranked Bremen Friday night, the Warriors were counted out, given less than a 10-percent chance to win the sectional title. What wasn’t tabulated in all the X’s and O’s and computer ratings was the heart of the Warriors and when you’re playing for a bigger cause you can overcome the odds and underdog status. Winamac shocked the Lions and a considerable amount of naysayers by beating Bremen with a game-winning drive in the final seconds, 21-14. 
If the storybook ending is going to play out for the team and coach Tim Roth, there are still three chapters left to be written culminating with a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium Nov. 25.
In the team’s previous two meetings, the Lions had gotten the better of the Warriors in an overtime win and most recently a 27-7 victory in the 1997 sectional.
Beating the Lions was no easy task and a lot of preparation went into the game making it a reality. Bremen plays a very tough schedule in the Northern Indiana Conference and its only losses were to 4A New Prairie and 3A Mishawaka Marian and Culver Academy. In all three of the losses, Bremen was held to 14 points or fewer, something the Warriors were able to accomplish. 
“Our defense had to dig in and we broke a couple of times and they had to get us out of trouble a couple of times,” coach Roth stated. “Coach Josh Burgess was telling the kids all night things like this happen but kept them positive and focused and they kept working. He prepared the defense for everything that Bremen brought. They threw the kitchen sink at us and our kids were ready and that’s a credit to Josh.”
A touchdown by each team in the fourth quarter tied the game at 14-14 with 5:45 left in regulation. A quick four-and-out by Winamac gave Bremen the football with plenty of time to ice the game. A defensive stand by the Warriors forced a Lion punt with 3:04 left, setting up the game-winning drive by the Warriors.
Winamac worked the ball down to the 4-yard line with 23.6 seconds remaining before using its last timeout. Facing a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line, it was do-or-die time for the maroon and white. With a snap of the ball quarterback Jack DeGroot rolled right, eluding the Bremen rush and spotted a wide-open Luke Pugh for the game-winning touchdown.
Seconds later, Matt Shorter picked off a last-ditch pass by the Lions to seal the Winamac championship. It was Roth’s sixth sectional title and the Warriors’ fourth title in the last five seasons.
Winamac grabbed the early lead, but knew it would take more than seven points to win the ballgame. DeGroot connected with Pugh for the opening score on a 48-yard bomb down the far sideline, sending shockwaves throughout the stands. The Winamac quarterback was sharp all night, passing for 210 yards and three touchdowns. “I had great confidence in my offensive line. They did a great job all night giving me time to pass the ball,” he said.
The 7-0 Winamac lead would hold up through the second quarter despite Bremen having a short field to work with just before the half. The Lions moved the ball to the Warrior 34-yard line before the drive stalled, giving the hosts the advantage at the intermission.
Bremen has been notorious this season for being a second-half team and came out on its second possession tying the game at 7-7. A low Winamac punt was deflected, giving the Lions the ball at the 24-yard line and in five plays the visitors punched the ball in from 6 yards out.
Winamac didn’t get the lead back until 8:37 left in the game. The football was resting 23 yards for pay dirt, only to have the Bremen defense stiffen. Facing a third-and-10, Winamac was forced to use a timeout and came back to the field with a trick up its sleeve.
In the blink of an eye the football changed hands on a double-reverse flea-flicker fly that left Bremen’s defense scrambling. DeGroot sent a pass over the middle to Brody Brumm, who had gotten behind the defense. Brumm hauled in the DeGroot offering for a 23-yard touchdown, giving the Warriors a 14-7 lead with 8:37 left in the game.
Bremen marched down the field with precision, scoring the tying touchdown seven plays later. Two long passes set up Grant Klockow’s second touchdown of the game, knotting the score at 14-14.
On the Warriors’ game-winning drive, DeGroot hooked up with Pugh down the Warrior sideline on a perfect pass of 29 yards, putting Winamac inside the red zone.
Winamac will travel to Whiting Friday night searching for the team’s ninth consecutive win of the season. The 8-4 Warriors will face the No. 2 ranked Oilers, who improved to 11-1, beating Knox 17-14, clinching a fifth sectional title for coach of 23 years Jeff Cain. Whiting will be attempting to win its third regional title as will the Warriors.