Coaches talk all the time about the importance of senior leadership, but departing Warren Central senior Beau Wallace’s skills were honed a year earlier.

Wallace, along with fellow WC seniors Carlos Gonzalez and Clayton Ashley, led the Vikings to 15 wins and a second straight trip to the Class 6A playoffs. Like last year, Warren Central’s season ended in the second round with a series loss in two games to Madison Central. The loss to the Jaguars (28-1), ranked seventh nationally by MaxPreps.com, does nothing to diminish the seasons enjoyed by Wallace, Gonzalez or Ashley.

Coming into this season, the Vikings had to replace six senior starters from a 15-13 club that won the Division 4-6A title in 2010. Offensive production looked to be a problem, but that was not the case with Wallace leading the way with a .480 average.

“Not to discount what those seniors did for us last year, but it was the juniors who were the leaders on that team,” Wallace said. “Me, Carlos and Clayton made a pact that each of us would do our part in leading these young guys. We wanted to show them how to work and how to play baseball. We did that. Now, it’s up to them.”

With six starters returning and a good group of ninth graders coming up, the Vikings appear set for a good run under coach Josh Abraham. The third-year coach, however, wanted to thank his seniors for getting his program to this point.

“They’ve set the bar high,” Abraham said. “Obviously, we’d love to still be playing. But those seniors came out and competed every time out and they worked their tails off. I have to thank them for their efforts.”

The question now, is how can Warren Central, move back to the state’s elite —when the Vikings won the Class 5A championship.

Abraham said the Vikings are not that far away.

“Look, we work just as hard as they (Madison Central) do,” Abraham said.

Abraham knows there are areas he wants to address this summer.

“We’ll look at the whole spectrum of things,” Abraham said. “We definitely need to get better defensively. We will also look at our pitching and offense.”

The pitching should be in good shape.

Current juniors Chase Ladd and Devon Bell made four postseason starts between them.