Warren Central has laid the foundation for a great season. Now it’s time to build on it.

The Vikings (5-3, 3-0 MHSAA Region 2-6A) can check off their first major goal by beating Callaway (4-5, 2-1) Friday at Viking Stadium. A victory would give them their second consecutive region title and keep them on a path to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

“We’ve set ourselves up really nicely. We’ve done what we needed to do, so we’ll have an opportunity to do it at home and continue to control our destiny,” Warren Central coach Josh Morgan said. “It’s another big ballgame for us, and usually if you win them they keep getting bigger.”

Although Warren Central is currently alone in first place, Callaway can shake things up with a win Friday.

The Chargers are tied with Ridgeland (5-3, 1-2) and Neshoba Central (3-5, 2-1) for second place in Region 2-6A. The other two have already lost to Warren Central and play each other this week. If Callaway wins Friday, it could put itself in position to play for the region title next week against Neshoba Central.

“The way the game sets up we’re really playing for the same thing. They’re still very much alive as well. That’s the kind of game that we’re expecting and what we’ve got to be prepared for,” Morgan said.

Besides checking off team goals, Warren Central has been busy attaining individual ones lately. Three players — defensive lineman Larry Reynolds, wide receiver Maddox Lynch and kicker Jonah Artman — have set school or county records in the past two games.

Reynolds had one sack in last week’s 19-7 win over Neshoba Central to give him 11 for the season and 19 for his career, both of which are school records.

The Vikings have 30 sacks and 118 tackles for loss as a team this season. They’ve allowed two offensive touchdowns in three region games.

“They’re picking it up and doing a better job of playing together and trusting each other. Not necessarily trying to make every play, but playing really good team defense,” Morgan said. “We’ve got some really good players on that side of the ball. From top to bottom they’ve been a great group. Playing together has been the ticket for us. It’s taken them to a level we felt like we could get them at.”

Lynch broke the school record for career receptions in a win against Vicksburg on Oct. 18 — he now has 92 — and is 126 yards short of the record for career receiving yards.

Artman, meanwhile, set the Warren County record for most career field goals by kicking two against Neshoba Central. He now has 24 in three varsity seasons, and is 7-for-8 this year.

“Jonah has been a really big part of our success. He’s done a really good job. We’ve had some really good kickers come through here, too,” Morgan said. “For what he was able to do his freshman year was truly incredible. Never having played football and we’re starting him at varsity and he’s in these big games and he’s poised and handled it. He’s been a big weapon for us and we’re really proud we’ve got him. He works really hard at it and it’s paying off for him.”

Next, the Vikings will try to achieve another team goal by winning back-to-back region championships. The tradition-rich program has not accomplished that since 2003 and 2004.

Morgan wants that feather in the Vikings’ cap, while not losing sight of what it means for their state title hopes this season.

“It’s a big deal,” Morgan said. “Back-to-back is one thing, but we’re living in the now, and the right now. Our focus has to be on winning and setting ourselves up for this run that we’ve worked so hard to get to this point. We’ve got to finish.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
p-MAIS playoff games
Columbus at Vicksburg (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Callaway at Warren Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)
p-Park Place at Porter’s Chapel (Radio: 104.5 FM)
p-St. Al at Winston Academy (Radio: 101.3 FM)
p-Marvell Academy at Tallulah Academy
South Pike at Port Gibson
Madison Parish at Oak Grove, La.