WARNER – A 21-point second-quarter surge helped to propel Warner into the second round of the Class 9A football playoffs Thursday night.
The unbeaten Monarchs opened the postseason with a 42-12 win over Timber Lake.
On the first drive of the game, Jesiah Baum punched in a 14-yard rushing touchdown, followed by an Alec Mikkelsen PAT kick to give the Monarchs a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Mikkelsen put the ball high in the air, causing the Panther returner to drop the kick, with Warner jumping on the ball.
“Yeah that’s pretty awesome. We’ve had a couple of those this year, like last year, too. They just bounce,” said Mikkelsen. “It’s always fun watching them, and they’re hard to catch. Like our guys even say, too. Like those end-over-end kicks are pretty hard to catch. I think it’s a pretty big weapon, and I’m proud of our team and how we get down there fast and recover it.”
The Monarchs weren’t able to capitalize on the good field position and walked away with no points, but soon had solid field position, again.
After two first downs, a Warner drive was halted and a Mikkelsen punt placed the Panthers on their own 3-yard line. Two plays later, Baum intercepted the ball to give the Monarchs another short field on the Panthers 29-yard line.
This time the Monarchs did take advantage of the short field as Baum scored on a 2-yard run on the third play of the second quarter.
The Panthers were forced to punt again and this time the Warner offense didn’t need to come on the field as Baum returned the punt 83 yards for a touchdown to make 21-0.
“It’s nice to have a game breaker like him. He could change the game on any play,” said Warner coach Derek Hoellein of Baum. “Obviously, he’s had a huge season, and he just continues it in the playoffs.”
Timber Lake crossed midfield for the first time on its next possession, but that drive came to an end when Parker Wood jumped an out route and picked off a pass, returning it for a 75-yard pick six.
“Well, you know they were marching downfield and we had to do something to stop them. Off of film just watching it, I knew they were gonna run an out there. Just kind of played back, sat back, and then jumped it when he threw it,” Wood said. “I was just getting on my high horse and get going. It just feels great.”
Timber Lake scored with 26 seconds left in the half, but by then Warner had scored 21 unanswered points in the period with less than two minutes in time of possession in the quarter.
“It was huge for us to get some points on the board with our offense not being out there,” Hoellein said.
The Panthers came out in the second half and schemed up a strong offensive attack, passing the ball and scoring another touchdown to close the gap to 28-12.
“We knew they were gonna throw the ball. We were hoping to get a little more pressure on the quarterback than we did tonight, but hey, you gotta give them credit,” Hollein said. “(Kanton Hunt) can really spin the ball and they got some solid receivers. They’ll make you work on the perimeter.”
Baum produced a 56-yard run to help the Monarchs get out of the shadow of their own end zone, before Chays Mansfield found Mikkelsen on back-to-back pass plays setting Warner up at the Timber Lake 6-yard line. Three plays later the Monarchs punched it in to make it 35-12.
“Yeah, it was pretty big. I mean I can’t really remember anything, it was just a blur, but yeah, it’s a pretty big catch,” Mikkelsen said. “I’m happy that Chays Mansfield put it right in my hands. Big play and glad we scored. That kind of was a momentum switch.”
With Timber Lake putting together another drive, Brayden Kroll stopped it with a strip sack and Mikkelsen picked up the ball putting the Monarchs at their own 43-yard line.
“Brayden Kroll, he’s like a utility. He’s like a Swiss army knife man. I mean he’s playing D-end, outside linebacker, safety in practice, too,” said Mikkelsen. “He just got around the edge, got the fumble, and then I just returned it. Had to unhook the plow a little bit trying to get down there, maybe put up a stiff arm. But yeah, that was a big momentum switch.”
Mansfield added a 40-yard touchdown run to cap the scoring with 9:47 left in the game. Although Mikkelsen didn’t find the end zone, he made all six of his PAT kicks on the night.
“It’s important man because two-point conversions, they’re not free. I mean neither is an extra point, but I feel more confident me kicking an extra point than us going for two,” said Mikkelsen. “If you get one point every time, that’s consistency on the scoring part.”
Warner will be back at home against a familiar opponent in the quarterfinals of the playoffs next Thursday. The Monarchs will host defending state champion Howard, which beat Warner in the semifinals last season.
Warner will look to recover from a few injuries incurred in its victory over Timber Lake.
“We just talked to the guys about getting off our feet a little bit. Taking care of some bumps and bruises tonight,” Hollein said. “Hopefully we can get as healthy as we can by next week.”
It helps that the Monarchs get to play in their own back yard.
“It’s awesome,” said Wood. “Playing in front of the home crowd is what we love to do.”
Timber Lake (3-6) 0 6 6 0 – 12
Warner (9-0) 7 21 0 14 – 42
W – Jesiah Baum 14 run (Alec Mikkelsen kick).
W – Baum 3 run (Mikkelsen kick).
W – Baum 83 punt return (Mikkelsen kick).
W – Parker Wood 75 pass interception return (Mikkelsen kick).
TL – Kanton Hunt 1 run.
TL – Holden Gill 7 pass from Hunt.
W – Chays Mansfield 1 run (Mikkelsen kick).
W – Mansfield 40 run (Mikkelsen kick).
OFFENSE: Timber Lake, rushing (Brody Ellison 11-29), passing 24-42 for 346 (Hunt 24-42 for 346), first downs 18; Warner, rushing (Baum 18-147, Mansfield 8-43), passing (Mansfield 7-11 for 65), receiving (Mikkelsen 2-40, Gage Knuppe 3-24), first downs 10.
DEFENSE: Warner, Gage Knuppe 7 tackles 1 sack, Brennan Wolf-Donat 8 tackles, Braydon Kroll 4 tackles 2 sacks 1 FF, Baum 4 tackles 2 interceptions.
