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The Dragons finished the season with a record of 0 wins and 10 losses for the second straight year, while the Grape Pickers finished the season with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses.

On paper, this game was an opportunity since both Warren and Northeast lost close games to Girard earlier this season.

Esen Ringer played for the Dragons as a freshman last year, spinning, twisting and sprinting for 202 yards on 25 carries, including runs of 14, 19, 17, 13, 13, 23, 48 and 21 yards. Achieved. Ringer was ejected for a fumble in the first half, but also had nine first downs and two touchdowns for Northeast.

Warren, leading 7-0, was more active than in any other game this season. Junior quarterback Brady Sheene scrambled to his left and connected with Charlie Blum on the left sideline for a 25-yard pass play with 31 seconds left in the first half. On the next play, he hit Noah Breach over the middle for a 4-yard score, helping to tie the game.

Warren’s Charlie Blum scrambles for extra yards after the catch. Photo credit: Mark Evans

Warren stopped the Grape Pickers in the third quarter to take the lead. Following Shane’s 14-yard scramble, freshman Aiden Corbett had the biggest rush of the night with 33 yards. The Dragons closed out the game with a go-ahead score, but it wasn’t without pressure.

On his fourth goal, Shane again breached and crossed the goal line a few inches for a 5-yard score. At 3:01 of the third, Blum’s kick gave Warren a 14-7 lead.

“They worked their tails off.” Warren coach Cody Bapp said. “That was the best football game we’ve played all year. We brought in some new things and the kids executed. There were a lot of new guys there who stepped up and… We had kids that had the opportunity to do that. We ended up running out of gas. As I said to them, when you get some penalties in important situations, you either fall behind or you lose momentum. It was either they were killed or not. …In the end, the kids ran out of gas.”

Ringer’s second short-yardage touchdown tied the game at 14-14, after which Northeast quarterback Bryson Galloway took over.

Galloway ran for 104 yards in the second half. That included two touchdowns in the fourth quarter from 3 and 25 yards, respectively. He was also called back for his fourth touchdown pass from 4 yards out as it crossed the line of scrimmage. Despite the turnover on downs, Northeast held a comfortable lead with 2:39 left in the game.

Warren’s Aiden Eager will be looking to bounce back from the Dragons’ 29-14 loss to Northeast on Friday at War Memorial Field. Photo credit: Mark Evans

With only two seniors graduating on the 54-man roster, the Dragons will have to use the winless season as fuel for next season, Bapp said.

“You can’t stop preparing even in the off-season.” Bop said. “We’re really learning the game of football. We’ve got to keep chipping away…and we’ve got to keep staying together.

“Those two seniors have stuck with the program. When we took them in eighth grade, there were six in that grade.” Bop added. “Dylan (Harkins) stuck with it and Devin VanTassel are both role players and have earned everything they have in this program. And they are the ones that every young kid in this program should strive for. She was the perfect role model for kimonos.”

Corbett led Warren with 81 yards, Shane completed 14 passes for 95 yards, and Brum completed seven passes for 55 yards.

Northeast 0 7 7 15 — 29

Warren 0 7 7 0 — 14

2nd quarter

Northeast – Esen Ringer 1 run, 8:48 (Joel Morey kick)

Warr – Noah Breech 4 passes from Brady Sheen, 0:26.6 (Charlie Blum kick)

3rd quarter

War-Bleech 5 passes from Schoene, 3:01 (Blumkick)

NE-Ringer 1 run, 0:34.1 (Morley kick)

4th quarter

Northeast – Bryson Galloway 3 runs, 9:09 (Morley kick)

Northeast – Galloway 25 runs, 8:01 (Galloway to Morey pass)

personal statistics

Rush: N Ringer 25-202, 2 TDs, Galloway 13-106, 2 TDs, Pascal Laporte 5-12. W – Aiden Corbett 17-81, Aiden Egger 7-10, Shene 6-19, Blum 2-1.

Passing: N-Galloway 4/12, 56 yards. W-Shen 14/25 95 yards, 2TD.

Receiving: N – Logan Lattimore 2-31, Colton Owens 2-25. W – Brum 7-55, Breech 3-8, 2TD, Chris Orth 3-31, Corbett 1-1.