Warren Central has been winning football games and reaping the rewards. Playing winning football, however, is something coach Josh Morgan defines a little differently — and what he wants his team to focus on this week.

Warren Central (6-3, 4-0 MHSAA Region 2-6A) will take a long road trip to Columbus (3-6, 1-3) for the regular-season finale Thursday at 7 p.m. The Vikings have their second consecutive region championship in hand and home field advantage through the playoffs, so Morgan wants them to dial in on the little things that will keep their momentum rolling.

“It’s the difference in winning, and playing winning football and looking the way that we want to look and playing to our best each and every Friday night,” Morgan said. “That would be the challenge, is trying to be consistent with this, and be the team that we feel we can become.”

The Vikings played perhaps their best game of the season last week in blowing out Callaway 45-6 to secure the Region 2-6A title. They scored a defensive touchdown and nearly got another on special teams — Rickey Neal was tackled at the 1-yard line on a punt return — as part of an overall dominant effort that allowed them to celebrate this week.

While Neshoba Central, Ridgeland and Callaway jockey for the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds below them, the Vikings are secure at the top. Columbus, meanwhile, has been eliminated from playoff contention so Thursday’s game will have no bearing on the standings no matter the result.

Morgan bristled, though, at the suggestion that it didn’t have a purpose in the bigger scheme of things. Warren Central has had bouts of inconsistency all season that he’d like to see ironed out before the playoffs begin.

“It’s not meaningless and it’s not a celebration week,” he said. We want to finish on a good note, finish our last regular-season district game, and have good momentum going into our playoffs. Columbus is a talented team so we have to make sure we’re ready to go and ready to have a good trip and being consistent.”

This will be the third season in a row Warren Central has hosted a playoff game, and the second time as a region champion.
Since starting 0-3 in region play in 2021, the Vikings have won 18 of their last 19 league games. The last 14 of those have been in a row.

Even if they don’t want to take a victory lap right now, Morgan said that kind of success was worth celebrating because of what went into creating it.

“A lot of that credit goes to our coaches and our players. When you look at that you think about the consistency and being ready to go, and not having that bad week and that bad game, and that mental lapse in preparation. It takes a lot out of you as a coach,” Morgan said. “But I think that speaks volumes to our preparation, our organization, how we approach things, and our kids doing a good job of locking in week in and week out. It’s hard to do. I think those things are to be marveled at. It’s quite a stat.”

THIS WEEK’S AREA GAMES
Thursday, Nov. 7
Warren Central at Columbus (Radio: 105.5 FM)
Vicksburg at Ridgeland (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Friday, Nov. 8
MAIS Playoffs
Porter’s Chapel at Desoto School (Radio: 104.5 FM)
St. Aloysius at Bowling Green (Radio: 101.3 FM)