How Warren Central Can Win

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What will it take for Warren Central to bounce back to a state championship for the first time since 2018, when Jayson West was still head coach? That is the ultimate question confronting this year's squad, led by new head coach J.T. Whitaker. With Mike Kirschner off to coach with his son, Jon, at Hamilton Heights, the Warriors will have a new face on the sideline and Whitaker has a stacked roster full of talented players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's why they can win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Key returning starters on defense.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alabama commit [player_tooltip player_id='1595328' first='JJ' last='Finch'] returns for his senior year. The tall, long, and freakishly-athletic defensive lineman is a key cog on a great defense that pitched several shutouts of opponents in 2024. Defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1691879' first='Kaleb' last='Elkins'] is one of the best prospects to come out of the Hoosier State and a fast-rising name in the recruiting world heading into his junior season. Elijah Jones, Jacarei Markey, Wendell Martin, and Tyjuan Mure are other key returning starters for the Warriors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true,"start":2} --> <ol start="2" class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Key returning offensive starters.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elkins can also play on offense, where he could wind up being a two-way starter with his size, speed and frame. This is still a young group, with [player_tooltip player_id='1586141' first='Anthony' last='Dennison'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1652600' first='Jack' last='Quillen'] both flashing upside. Another key underclassman name to monitor is Darryl Gates, a 6-foot-3, 196-pound receiver who should emerge as a great high school recruit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Time will soon tell whether the Warriors have the goods, but make no mistake: from a raw talent perspective, this team is stacked. They face a tough test in Week One against a talented Center Grove team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1691879"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68990d70543ca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Elkins was apart of a Warren Central defense that pitched shutout performances in five games last season. At 6-foot-3, 170, he looks the part of a highly-athletic safety and has the skills to boot. Purdue, Vanderbilt, and Indiana extended offers last month. - Bryan Ault, 3/2/25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1595328"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68990d705445f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Elkins was apart of a Warren Central defense that pitched shutout performances in five games last season. At 6-foot-3, 170, he looks the part of a highly-athletic safety and has the skills to boot. Purdue, Vanderbilt, and Indiana extended offers last month.- August 2025</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->