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INDIANAPOLIS - The fire has burned inside the Decatur Central Hawks since the moment it sparked. From the time the Hawks suffered a 33-6 loss to Fort Wayne Snider in the 2023 Class 5A state title game, the fire began burning.
“When these kids walked off that field, with tears in their eyes and a red ribbon around their neck,” DC coach Kyle Enright said, “they knew they wanted to come back. They also knew they were going to have to put in more work that needed to be done.”
That burning desire to return has paid off. The fourth-ranked Hawks (10-2) will take the Lucas Oil Stadium field Saturday night to meet No. 9 Warsaw (10-3) for the 5A title. Two teams that stumbled a bit to start the season (DC sat at 1-2, Warsaw at 3-3) will each seek their school’s first state championship.
“Our leadership has been second to one,” Enright said of his squad. “Our kids have been resilient all year and moved on to the next play, next game when we’ve needed to.
“Now, we’re back to win the blue (ribbon).”
In Decatur Central’s way will be a Tigers team that is seeking its first state title in the program’s first appearance. In fact, Warsaw had previously only won one sectional (2019) in school history.
Warsaw, however, has, to say the least, earned its trip to Lucas Oil. After the 3-3 start, the Tigers have ripped off seven straight wins – the last three being the most impressive. Warsaw beat top-ranked Concord to win its sectional title, then took out No. 2 Lafayette Jefferson for the regional title, then beat No. 3 Merrillville in the semi-state.
While that run is certainly impressive, coach Bart Curtis sees the key to that run is very mundane.
“It comes down to the fact that we’ve made the biggest plays in the biggest moments in the biggest games,” said Curtis, who coached Mishawaka to a runner-up finish in Class 4A back in 2012. “We could have looked backward and pouted when we were 3-3, but we’ve grown into the moment by being boring, repetitive, routine and embracing sameness.
“Our practice plans aren’t hard to make and it’s helped us be better each day.”
The game may well come down to which team’s style of play is dominant.
The Class 5A State Championship featuring Warsaw Community (10-3) and Decatur Central (10-2) will stream via PPV on IHSAAtv.org this Saturday at 7 pm ET / 6 CT!
For Warsaw, Curtis has long been a proponent of the flexbone and his Tigers have embraced that attack to the tune of a 281.5 rushing average per contest. Warsaw has only thrown 66 passes all season.
The ball-control-obsessed offense is led by quarterback Drew Sullivan who has rushed for 908 yards and nine touchdowns this season, while backs Quinton Brock (804 yards), Brody Duncan (681) and Tucker Reed (451) have shared the load.
“Warsaw can put together 10-, 12-minute drives,” Enright said. “We’re going to need tackles-for-losses and force them into incomplete passes. They’re happy to get three yards a play, then go for it on fourth-and-1 or 2.”
While ball-control is a key for Warsaw, Decatur Central -- which carries a nine-game winning streak into the game -- sports a more wide-open attack.
Bo Polston is back at quarterback for the Hawks. He’s passed for 2,036 yards and 21 touchdowns this season and added 272 rushing yards.
“Bo is more experienced this season,” Enright said. “He’s able to read defenses and make checks at the line and it’s helped us get into a more balanced style of football.”
The Hawks sport three runners over 400 yards (led by Fa’Rel Carter’s 580 yards and 9.4 average per carry), while Kasmir Hicks has caught 51 passes for 841 yards and 11 touchdowns and has rushed for 419 yards and an 11.3 average per carry.
“Decatur Central has kids who can run past you and make you look foolish,” Curtis said. “If you can’t tackle them in the open field, they will make you look foolish. If you are not prepared for how good their special teams are, they will make you look foolish.”
This is the third time that Enright has guided the Hawks to the state finals (also in 2018) and is seeking to join his father, Dave, as father-son, state-champion coaches. Dave Enright coached Hamilton Southeastern to the 1A title in 1981. The Enrights would become the fifth father-son duo to win state championships.