WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lumberjacks opened their 2025 campaign with an impressive showing Friday night, August 22, at Jim Hurley Jr. Stadium, defeating the McGehee Owls 40-19 in a preseason scrimmage. The evening began with each team running a set number of plays on offense and defense before finishing with a live, regulation-style fourth quarter.
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Defense Stands Tall Early
During McGehee’s first offensive series, Warren’s defense showed its strength. On a fourth-and-one, Josiah Steen shot wide to drop the runner for no gain. Because the early portion of the scrimmage followed a set-play format, the Owls retained possession rather than turning the ball over. Moments later, Louis Woods brought down the quarterback for a sack, setting the tone for the Jacks’ defensive effort.
Zaydin Grider later dropped a McGehee tailback for a loss, and Colton Steen intercepted a deep Owl pass on their third series. Tucker McDiarmid and Jacob Marshall also came up with fumble recoveries in the set-play portion, with Marshall stripping the ball and falling on it himself.
Lumberjacks Strike First
Warren’s offense wasted no time getting on the board. On the fifth play of their opening series, quarterback Jackson Denton dropped back and launched a deep ball to Steen, who split the safeties for a 45-yard touchdown.
On Warren’s third offensive series, Denton connected with Tayshawn Edwards on a long pass, and one play later Aaron Davis broke free off tackle for a 50-yard touchdown run. That put Warren up 12-0.
Later, during the red-zone period, Denton found Edwards again, this time for a 6-yard touchdown. Jacarlos Marquez’s kick made it 19-13.
McGehee capitalized on a pair of miscues to stay in the game, recovering two errant deep snaps that rolled into the end zone for defensive touchdowns. Those breaks allowed the Owls to even things up, tying the scrimmage at 19-19 before the live quarter began.
Live Quarter, Big Plays
Once the scrimmage shifted into a regulation-style fourth quarter, the Lumberjacks took complete control.
- At the 8:09 mark, Denton lofted a 45-yard touchdown pass to Bleyze Fellows. Marquez’s extra point pushed Warren ahead 26-19.
- With 5:41 left, Davis powered through the defense for an 11-yard touchdown run, stretching the lead to 33-19.
- At 2:03, Denton hit Steen on a shallow out. Steen turned the corner, sprinted up the sideline, and raced to the end zone. Marquez tacked on the PAT to make it 40-19.
The defense continued to dominate, forcing turnovers at every level. Aaron Woodard recovered a fumble at the McGehee 32, Grider snagged an interception, and Aiden Lewis finished the night with another pick to secure the victory.
Looking Ahead
The 40-19 scrimmage win gave Warren fans plenty to be excited about, showcasing the team’s ability to bounce back from mistakes while flashing explosive plays on both sides of the ball.
The Lumberjacks officially open the 2025 season at home next Friday, August 29, against Greenbrier. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Jim Hurley Jr. Stadium.
With their depth, speed, and playmaking ability already on display, the Jacks appear poised to make plenty of noise in the 8-4A this fall.
