[10/11/04]Big plays all night long Friday have Warren Central sitting in its usual position in Region 2-5A.

From a 37-yard field goal into a driving wind, to a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions deep in WC territory, the Vikings did everything necessary to stay unbeaten in 2-5A.

WC sits atop the region standings with Grenada, which is also 3-0. The two are scheduled to play on Oct. 29 at Warren Central.

“We have to come back and try to win the rest of our games,” Madison Central coach Ted Taylor said. “We have to hope they get tripped up twice, and they are playing some people that are capable of tripping them up.”

Thanks to a bevy of big plays, the Vikings kept their balance.

After Madison Central drove 72 yards on eight plays for a touchdown on its first possession, the normally reliable Madison special teams faltered.

On the ensuing kickoff, WC’s Fred Payne took the ball on the 6 yard line, and rambled down the right sideline for a 94-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7.

“When I got the ball, I knew I only needed a couple of blocks,” Payne said. “All I had to beat was the kicker, and I got past him.

Warren Central forced two straight punts and took the lead 13-7 late in the first half on a 1-yard TD run by Jese Pedyfoot.

The drive was kept alive with an 7-yard pass completion on third-and-six from Christian Hales to Payne to give WC the ball on the 1-yard line.

Following another Madison score, Hales agains connected with Payne on a 17-yard pass on third down that gave WC the ball on the 8-yard line.

Larry Warner took an option pitch 8 yards on the next play to give WC a 19-14 lead.

“We got the passes when we needed them,” said Hales, who finished the game with 76 yards.

As wind and rain increased in intensity during the fourth quarter, first-year WC kicker Joey Bonelli kicked a 37-yard field goal that just barely inched over the crossbar.

“That’s about his range,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said afterward.

The kick increased WC’s lead to 22-14 and forced Madison into a more aggressive passing offense.

The Vikings’ “Lights out” defense did not allow a completed pass, and intercepted quarterback Tim Buckley twice. Otis Stamps and Chico Hunter each intercepted Buckley inside the WC 10 yard line.

“We had some misunderstadings on throwing the ball,” Taylor said. “But they did a great job covering. We had our chances, just couldn’t make them happen.”

The Vikings are set to play Murrah on Friday night at 7 p.m. The Mustangs lost Friday night to Grenada and have only one region win this season.

“Come Monday, we will practice harder than ever,” Hunter said. “We can’t let up at all.”