GOSNELL, Ark. — Warren walked into a hostile road environment Thursday night and walked out with a trip to the 4A state quarterfinals, surviving a furious second-half comeback to defeat Gosnell 44–42 in a playoff thriller that swung wildly from dominance to desperation.
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The Lumberjacks (9–3) led by as many as 32 points behind a barrage of explosive plays from quarterback Jackson Denton and a string of fourth-down defensive stands. But after a scorching first half, Warren needed one final stop inside the red zone with under a minute left to secure the win and advance to face Prairie Grove next Friday at Jim Hurley Jr. Stadium.
First Quarter: Warren Strikes First and Sets the Tone
Gosnell won the toss and took the ball, recovering Warren’s opening onside attempt — but that was about the only early momentum the Pirates enjoyed. The Lumberjack defense forced a three-and-out, and Warren immediately went vertical.
With 9:20 left in the first, Denton hit Josiah Steen on a 58-yard strike down the right edge. The blocked PAT left Warren up 6–0.
From there, the Jack defense took over, delivering fourth-down stops at their own 15 with 6:09 left and again with 2:48 remaining.
The offense capitalized when Aaron Davis broke free for an 85-yard touchdown sprint at the 2:30 mark. The two-point try failed, but Warren held a 12–0 lead.
And the defense wasn’t done — the Jacks stood tall once more at their own 37 with 1:16 left, closing one of their best defensive quarters of the season.
Second Quarter: Denton Stays Hot, Warren Rolls to Halftime Lead
Facing 4th down early in the second, Warren kept the foot on the gas. At 11:20, Denton found Steen again, this time from 46 yards out, and Jacarlos Marquez converted the PAT to make it 19–0, silencing the Gosnell crowd.
The Pirates finally answered at 9:06 with a 28-yard touchdown run, cutting the lead to 19–6 after a missed PAT.
Warren responded instantly. Denton hit Bleyze Fellows for a 22-yard touchdown with 7:35 remaining, and Davis powered in the two-point conversion, pushing the lead to 27–6.
The Pirates steadied themselves with a 2-yard score at 3:43 (2-point try no good), trimming the margin to 27–12.
Warren closed the half with another scoring drive, capped by a 20-yard field goal from Marquez as the halftime horn sounded. The Lumberjacks headed into the locker room firmly in control, up 30–12.
Third Quarter: Warren Explodes Again — Then Gosnell Roars Back
The second half opened much like the first: Denton, deep shot, touchdown.
On the second play of the third quarter, at 11:41, he found Fellows on a 68-yard go route. Marquez added the PAT for a 37–12 advantage.
Warren then recovered its second onside kick of the game, setting up a 4th-and-long conversion — a 39-yard touchdown pass from Denton to Fellows at 10:41. Marquez’s extra point stretched the lead to a commanding 44–12.
But from that moment on, the game turned.
Gosnell ripped off a 35-yard touchdown run at 10:02 (2-point try failed), narrowing the margin to 44–18. The Pirates intercepted Denton in the end zone on the next drive, but Warren’s defense delivered another 4th-down stop at 8:58.
After a Warren punt, De’Sean Adams grabbed an interception and returned it to the Gosnell 22. But Warren couldn’t capitalize, getting stopped on 4th down at the 28.
Gosnell countered with a 41-yard touchdown run at 2:19 and added the 2-point try to make it 44–26. The Pirates then recovered a Warren fumble at their own 37 with 2:03 left in the third, setting the stage for a tense fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Warren Hangs On
Gosnell kept punching. With 11:07 remaining, the Pirates broke a 28-yard touchdown run and tacked on the 2-point conversion, suddenly making it a one-score game at 44–34.
Warren fumbled again just 21 seconds later, and Gosnell recovered at the Lumberjack 42. But Warren’s defense came up big, forcing a punt.
Still, the Pirates weren’t done. A 21-yard touchdown run with 6:06 left — plus another successful 2-point attempt — cut the Warren lead to just 44–42.
That set up the game’s decisive moment.
After the teams traded possessions, Gosnell drove deep into Warren territory in the final minute. The Lumberjacks’ defense, which delivered big stops all night, stood tall one more time. With just 42 seconds remaining, Warren stopped a fourth-down attempt at its own 22 — the biggest stop of the season.
From there, the Lumberjacks kneeled out the clock to seal a wild 44–42 victory.
What’s Next
Warren advances to the quarterfinals and will host Prairie Grove next Friday at Jim Hurley Jr. Stadium.
A game of explosive offense, gutsy fourth-down calls, and a defense that made the stop it absolutely had to — Warren is still standing in November.
