It might be easy to dismiss Warren Central as a championship contender in Class 6A.

The Vikings, after all, have not been beyond the second round of the playoffs since 2004 and are entering the postseason as a No. 2 seed.

Suggesting they’re anything less than a legitimate threat to win it all, however, is an easy way to make the hair on coach Conner Douglas’ neck stand up.

“I don’t think we’re under the radar anymore. We’re 21-6, the competition we’ve played, there’s no flying under the radar. People realize what kind of ballclub they’re playing,” Douglas said.

If they don’t, the Vikings are ready to show them. WC’s quest for its first state title since 2001 begins tonight at 6 when it hosts Grenada in Game 1 of a best-of-three play-in round series.

Game 2 will be Friday at Grenada. If Game 3 is necessary, it’ll be played Saturday at WC.

Warren Central’s case as a contender has been built on a deep pitching staff and lineup.

At the plate, WC is hitting .314 as a team and averaging eight runs per game.

On the mound, the pitching staff has a 2.44 ERA — three pitchers are under 2.00 — and six players have thrown at least 17 innings.

John Morgan McRight (5-0, 1.24 ERA in 39 2/3 innings) and Carlisle Koestler (5-2, 1.49 ERA in 37 2/3 innings) are the top two arms. Layne Tedder, Cameron Upton, Brooks Boolos and Taft Nesmith have teamed up to form a formidable rotation behind them.

“It’s big for us. We have six guys we can trust. I don’t know who No. 1 or No. 6 is. You don’t have to rely on one guy because you have a good bullpen,” Douglas said.

Many high school coaches rarely utilize a full bullpen. Their top two or three starters often are expected to finish games they start.

Warren Central, however, is the exception. Tedder, Upton, Nesmith and Boolos have combined for 29 relief appearances while the starters have thrown just six complete games.

Upton and Nesmith have one complete game each in spot starts.

“Not many schools have that,” Douglas said.

Each member of the bullpen has developed a role on the pitching staff.

Tedder has emerged as the No. 3 starter. He’s 5-1 with a 0.51 ERA and a team-high 29 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings pitched.

Upton and Nesmith have been solid in middle relief as well as in spot starts, and Boolos has been an effective closer.

Boolos, a sophomore right-hander with a submarine delivery, has five saves in 11 relief appearances. He’s the only one of the six pitchers who hasn’t started a game.

“Boolos just gives you a different look,” Douglas said. “Nobody can give you that, especially late in games, and he’s a bulldog.”

The Vikings’ pitching staff will be tested this weekend by a Grenada squad that finished third in a three-way tie atop Division 2-6A.

The Chargers (14-7) tied with Tupelo and Hernando, but fell to the No. 3 seed through the tiebreaker process.

Like WC, Grenada is averaging around eight runs per game. Douglas wasn’t expecting an easy time of it as the playoffs get under way.

“They swing it well, and their pitchers compete,” Douglas said. “They do the little things right.”

Warren Central vs. Grenada

Today

Game 1 – Grenada at WC, 6 p.m.

Friday

Game 2 – WC at Grenada, 6 p.m.

Saturday

Game 3 – Grenada at WC, TBA (if necessary)