Pioneers preparing for trip to ‘The Pit’

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Mark Chambers (40) of the Pioneer defensive unit meets DeKalb County fullback Tyler Cantrell head-on during last Friday’s win. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

In 2001, the Warren County High School football team left Fayetteville having suffered its second loss of the season.

At the time, no one would have imagined it would be four years before the Pioneers tasted victory again.

But this year’s opener against Bradley Central brought joy back to Pioneer fans once again, and an even bigger win last week has WCHS pride at an all-time high heading into this Friday’s game at Lincoln County.

With two victories under their belts, the 2005 version of the Pioneers has once again found confidence. But they’ve been on the low end of too many final scores to take any challenge lightly — particularly the challenge of a Falcon program they haven’t defeated since the 1980’s.

“So far we’ve been able to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves as a program,” WCHS defensive coordinator Todd Willmore said after last week’s victory. “We came out in the first week and broke our losing streak, and that was our goal. (Last) week, we had the goal of winning a game we ‘should’ win, and we did it.

“But Lincoln County is the real deal, and we’ll find out quickly just where we stand against a very strong team, and where we stand in this region.”

Game time Friday night in Fayetteville is scheduled for 7:30.