One of the reasons Warren Central’s football team has been able to reach the playoffs 13 years in a row is a next man up mentality that carries over from season to season.

One group of seniors graduates, the next steps up to replace it. When a talented player leaves, there’s often another waiting in the pipeline for his shot.

It’s been a successful system, but it’s being put to the test this spring. The Vikings are replacing 27 seniors, including 16 of 22 starters. It’s not an insurmountable hurdle to another great season, but it is the biggest one they’ve dealt with during the spring practice period.

“We had a huge senior class and a lot of productivity with that — nine starters defensively and seven offensively,” head coach Josh Morgan said. “This has been a really important spring for us and guys have done a good job. It’s an opportunity for guys to take over in different roles and build some depth.”

Among the departing seniors are two 1,000-yard rushers; the top two receivers; two starting offensive linemen; the top five in tackles and top four in sacks on defense; and six defensive players who accounted for 18 of the team’s 26 takeaways.

It’s a long list, but it boils down to finding playmakers on both sides of the ball, Morgan said.

“It’s not just to fill spots. We have to find playmakers. That’s the name of the game,” Morgan said. “We feel like we’ve got some guys to do it right now and we’re trying to find what’s the best place for them. Trying to develop them and where to plug them in at. This has been an important spring for us and we’ve been pleased.”

It’s especially important as the Vikings try to follow up a breakthrough season. Although they’ve been one of the most consistent football programs in the MHSAA, their run to the Class 6A semifinals in 2024 was the first time in 30 years they’d been that far. Morgan has no desire to wait that long again.

“It is what it is,” Morgan said. “We’re not interested in rebuilding or taking a step back. We’ve held that standard and guys have done a good job adjusting to it. It makes this spring game even more important.”

Warren Central will play its spring game Thursday at 6 p.m. against Madison-Ridgeland Academy. It’s the first time the teams have ever played, even in a preseason setting. Warren Central has never played an MAIS team in the regular season.

They’ll play three regulation quarters rather than a full game with the varsity, and 10-play series with the junior varsity between quarters.

Morgan said MRA fit the profile of a spring opponent he was looking for — a quality team from the Jackson Metro area that wasn’t already on the 2025 schedule. Including their preseason jamboree game, eight of WC’s 11 games next season are against teams from in and around Jackson.

The jamboree game is Aug. 22 vs. Brandon, and the season opener is Aug. 29 at Clinton.

“We want to play good people who are well-coached and have got good players and give us a good test,” Morgan said. “They’ve had a really good program. We wanted to evaluate our guys with the best competition we could find. We feel like it’ll be a good match.”

MRA at Warren Central
• Spring football game
• Thursday, May 8, 6 p.m.
• Admission is $8. Tickets are available through GoFan.co
• Game format is three regulation quarters with the varsity teams, and 10-play junior varsity series between quarters