Pioneers ready for homecoming test

The floats will roll through downtown McMinnville, the stands at Nunley Stadium will fill with generations of Pioneer fans and Warren County will celebrate one of its biggest football traditions tonight. For coach Eric Belew and his Pioneers, the hope is that the homecoming festivities will end with something even better than a parade - and that’s a victory.

Warren County (3-4) will welcome neighboring Cannon County (6-2) to Nunley Stadium Friday at 7 p.m., returning from fall break with renewed energy and a chance to avenge one of last season's most frustrating losses. The Lions rallied for a wild 50-27 victory in Woodbury last October, turning a competitive contest into a fourth-quarter scoring frenzy.

The Pioneers have spent nearly two weeks preparing for the rematch, using the open week to recover physically and mentally following consecutive losses to Stone Memorial and White County. Belew believes the time away from competition has already paid dividends.

"We did three days in helmets, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, let them have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday off," Belew said during Thursday's Studio 605 Coaches Show about the plan during fall break last week. "(We) Encouraged the guys to take their mind off football for a few days and got to spend some time with family and do some traveling, so it was good."

The break was particularly important for a team that had struggled through two difficult performances before getting some much-needed rest. Rather than simply continuing to push his players physically, Belew and his staff used the additional preparation time to refine their approach and introduce some wrinkles offensively.

Belew credited strength and conditioning coach Sam Sanders for helping the staff monitor players' physical condition throughout the season, including using weekly vertical jump testing to identify signs of fatigue.

"We need to back off a little bit physically," Belew said of the team's approach during the open week. "So when we did that, we kind of front loaded a little more offensively with some different formations and different shifts and stuff to where we're still doing what we do, but we can kind of dress it up a little bit differently."

The response has been encouraging. Belew called Wednesday's practice ‘the best the Pioneers have had’ on that day all season, noting the energy and execution displayed during the team's game-simulation period.

"They had a great day yesterday - Thought we had a good day today as well," Belew said Thursday. "We've had two really rough weeks, performance-wise, against Stone and White County, and our players are eager to go out and execute."

Warren County also expects to be healthier when it returns to the field. Belew expressed confidence that Isaac Smith will be available after getting additional recovery time during the break. Quarterback AJ Whitman, who was banged up but never left the last two games, is ready and there’s hope senior Dylan Aguilar, who had to be helped off in Sparta two weeks ago, will suit up and be active tonight too.

Whitman has been the centerpiece of Warren County's offense this season, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards through the first seven games. His ability to make plays on the ground has given the Pioneers a reliable offensive weapon, but Belew is equally encouraged by the junior's development throwing the football.

"The pass game against White County - we thought AJ was making a lot of the right decisions," Belew said. "The pocket was a little cloudy - There were some things up front we could have done a lot better but his decision-making was pretty good. We've just got to spot the ball a little bit better."

Belew believes Whitman's confidence as a passer continues to grow, something that could become especially important against a Cannon County defense that presents several different looks.

"I think he really has shocked a lot of people with what he's done in the air," Belew said. "You take away two or three throws against DeKalb earlier in the year, you're talking about a really flawless season throwing the ball. And he's only getting better at that each week, so we're really excited about his growth there."

The Lions will test that progress with an aggressive defensive approach.

"They get a lot of turnovers. They've gotten a lot of interceptions," Belew said. "But if we can get them out of their comfort zone in that regard, we'll be able to make some big plays on the perimeter."

While Warren County will be looking for more offensive production after scoring just seven points in each of its previous two games, Cannon County presents an entirely different challenge on the other side of the football.

The Lions have won three consecutive games and are coming off a 34-7 victory over Jackson County. They have played every week this season without a bye, making Friday their ninth straight game.

Last year's meeting showed just how dangerous Cannon County can be when its offense gets rolling. The Lions trailed 13-12 entering the fourth quarter before erupting offensively, with running back Jayden Shannon delivering a performance that Warren County won't soon forget.

Shannon rushed for 344 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries, including a 78-yard scoring run. Cannon County finished with 391 rushing yards and 546 yards of total offense.

A year later, Shannon remains a major concern for the Pioneer defense.

"He's a very physical runner, and all I've heard about him is that he's a great kid, that he's just worked extremely hard in the weight room," Belew said. "With him, we've got to make him work lateral. He wants to be a north and south runner, and he runs very angry."

The challenge will be preventing Shannon from getting a head of steam and turning relatively small openings into explosive gains.

"Guys like that are like diesel engines," Belew said. "If you can stop them from getting going, that's your best shot. But once they get moving, it's very difficult to get them to stop."

Cannon County also features an athletic quarterback in Corbin Garrett, the younger brother of last year's starter, Eli Garrett. He’ll force the Pioneers to be disciplined before and after the snap to avoid allowing Garrett to escape containment or exploit gaps in coverage. Cannon County's ability to change pace adds another challenge, with the Lions capable of scoring quickly or sustaining possessions.

For Warren County, controlling that tempo could be one of the biggest factors in the game.

"Tempos to me are a lot like boxing matches," Belew said. "There's people like Muhammad Ali that are gonna sit in the corner and wait for their chance to strike. And then you have the Mike Tysons of the world that they're gonna end the match now, and we kinda feel like we're somewhere in between."

The Pioneers want to be capable of delivering big plays without sacrificing the methodical approach that has helped them succeed offensively. Long drives would also help keep Garrett and Cannon County's other playmakers off the field.

"Ultimately, that's what we're going to try to do," Belew said. "We want to keep that quarterback on the sideline."

The stakes are heightened by the familiarity between the two programs. Warren County and Cannon County share a county line, and Friday's matchup offers the Pioneers a chance to reverse last year's result against an opponent that has continued to improve.

"This is our opportunity to beat somebody we didn't beat last year," Belew said. "Our kids have taken a lot of pride in that. You don't want to make it about that, but if we put that in its place, any extra motivation we can get, let's go do it at this point of the season."

That motivation will come against the backdrop of homecoming, which brings its own demands on players' time and attention. Warren County will participate in Friday's parade before making its way to Nunley Stadium, where the traditional festivities will continue throughout the evening.

Belew, however, isn't interested in using the celebration as an excuse for anything that happens on the football field.

"If we're already talking about it being a distraction for the game, then it already is," Belew said. "So we just lean into it, right? We're going to have a blast. It's homecoming week: Go make memories. (But) When it's practice time, we're going to have a great practice."

The coach pointed to last season, when Warren County successfully navigated homecoming and fair-week activities while winning football games. He believes players should be encouraged to enjoy the experiences that make high school special without lowering expectations for their performance.

Friday's contest is also the beginning of what Warren County hopes will be an extended finish to its season. After facing Cannon County, the Pioneers will travel to Howard on Oct. 23 before returning to Nunley Stadium to face Glencliff on Oct. 30.

Belew also revealed Thursday that Warren County is planning to host a Nurseryman's Bowl on Thursday, Nov. 5. The program was still waiting on an opposing team to sign its contract before announcing the matchup, but Belew expressed excitement about the opportunity to give his players another game.

"Ultimately, it's about us getting one more week with our kids," Belew said. "That's why we always want to do it."

The additional contest would give Warren County four more opportunities to compete, with three of those games at Nunley Stadium. For now, though, the focus remains on Cannon County and a homecoming night that could help the Pioneers rediscover their momentum.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Jeff Simmons and Chris Sullens will be on the call on the Warren County Sports Authority Facebook page and Studio 605 Productions YouTube page. The Leigh Holland State Farm pregame show will begin at 6 p.m. Sideline reporting will be throughout the night with Ansley Mullican Murphree and Trevor Evans.