Warren Central football coach Josh Morgan has a word of advice for the team’s fans this week.

“Better get there early,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s going to be a big-time game in a big-time part of the year.”

The celebration flowing out of the Vikings’ heart-stopping 28-23 win over South Panola on Friday night had scarcely quieted down before the hype and excitement started building for their next challenge — a rematch with Clinton.

When Warren Central and then-No. 1 Clinton played at Viking Stadium on Oct. 21, a sellout crowd of about 7,500 fans watched WC steamroll its way to a 50-32 win. Pregame traffic stretched nearly two miles down Mississippi 27 and back onto I-20.

That, to date, is Clinton’s (11-1) only loss. The rematch is for even higher stakes, with a trip to the Class 6A semifinals on the line and a long, frustrating offseason awaiting the loser.

Morgan said he’s trying to keep the focus off the rematch and, more importantly, the last meeting between the teams, and just prepare the Vikings for a big game against a very good team.

“All of our focus is on our end. What we have to do is prepare and be mature, and bring our A-game. They’ve only got one loss on their record and it’s because of these Vikings, so we know they’ll bring it,” Morgan said.

This week’s game could be a pivotal one in the long-term picture for both programs. They’re both trying to break through to rareified air after years of middle of the pack finishes.

The WC-Clinton winner will play either Madison Central or Tupelo in the North State championship game.

Clinton, despite being a playoff regular, has not reached the semifinals since 2004. Warren Central has not done it since winning its last state championship in 1994.

For Warren Central, a victory would be a major step in the rebuilding job Morgan started when he took over the program in 2010, but just getting this far is also an accomplishment.

WC has notched back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since it did it three years in a row from 1992-94. This is also the first time it has won a playoff game in consecutive years since 2001-02.

Last Friday’s road win over South Panola — the dominant force in Mississippi high school football for the past 15 years — was also a big step, Morgan said.

“It’s hard to make the playoffs. Period,” Morgan said. “It’s even harder to win in the playoffs. And it’s even harder to go on the road and beat a team that has won nine of the last 12 state championships.”

South Panola was only 7-6 this season, its worst record since 2001. The Tigers had the look of a fading power despite winning six of seven games to overcome a 1-4 start. Still, Warren Central had to persevere to survive and advance. After blowing a 14-point lead in the first half as South Panola scored 23 straight points, WC rallied with a 93-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

The winning touchdown, a 41-yard pass from Jesse Wilson to Demarcus Jones with 44 seconds left, gave Warren Central the 28-23 win and might have served as a passing of the torch moment between a power on the decline and another one on the rise. The Vikings need at least one more win, however, to make that truly materialize.

“We told the guys before the game that it was time to pass the torch, but we’re going to have to earn it. They dang sure ain’t going to hand it to you,” Morgan said. “A team of that magnitude isn’t just going to quit. These boys took it, and we’re going to run with it.”

CLINTON AT WARREN CENTRAL
MHSAA Class 6A playoffs, second round
Friday, 7 p.m.; Radio: 105.5 FM
Online: For live scoring updates, follow us at twitter.com/vixpostsports and facebook.com/thevicksburgpost