From staff reports

Any rust that may have been on the Warren Central Vikings after a tumultuous two weeks certainly didn’t show Friday night in Grenada.

Warren Central forced four Grenada turnovers and cruised to a 22-11 victory over the Class 5A Chargers in the Vikings’ first game in two weeks.

Since beating Gentry in the Red Carpet Bowl, the Vikings have been unable to hold many organized practices. Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of a week of school and students didn’t return until Tuesday.

“Tonight reflected how we haven’t practiced,” said WC coach Curtis Brewer, whose team gained only 127 total yards of offense. “We had only practiced offense one time this week.”

Warren Central took advantage of a fumbled punt inside the Grenada 5-yard line and a pair of short Chargers’ punts for a 10-0 lead late in the first half.

Grenada, though, bounced back midway through the first half after an unsportsmanlike penalty and an offsides call that gave the Chargers the ball deep in WC territory.

Timmy McKinney fumbled and WC’s Tiger Robinson returned the fumble 86 yards for a touchdown and a 16-0 lead midway through the second quarter. Robinson’s return was the third Grenada turnover of the game, which led directly to 13 WC points.

As the second half neared an end, Grenada reached the WC 7-yard line before the Vikings’ defense stood tall again. Grenada lost eight yards on the next three plays before Chico Hunter blocked a 42-yard field goal attempt keeping WC in front 16-0 at halftime.

Grenada forced WC into a punt during its first possession of the second half and the Chargers converted that into a 23-yard Allen Turner field goal.

The Vikings bounced right back, though, and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Vic Tyrone for a 22-3 lead.

The Vikings substituted liberally in the second half before surrendering a Grenada touchdown with 28 seconds to play in the game.

Warren Central scored first midway through the second quarter after McKinney fumbled a booming Eric Richards’ punt. Joel Little recovered and two plays later, Tyrone bulled in from 1-yard out for a quick 7-0 lead.

Joey Bonelli converted his first field goal of the season, a 22-yarder from a tough angle, as WC led 10-0.

Warren Central’s road gets no easier next week as the Vikings travel to South Pike, the top-ranked team in Class 3A, for a non-conference showdown.

“Any time you go down to South Pike, you better have the gravel truck loaded and everything going, because they are going to knock you out,” Brewer said.