Warren found some life in the second half Friday night, but the damage had already been done.
Stuttgart used an explosive passing attack and a suffocating first-half defensive performance to build a commanding lead at Jim Hurley Jr. Stadium, then weathered a late Lumberjack response to claim a 45-16 victory in a pivotal 8-4A Conference matchup.
The loss dropped Warren to 4-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play, putting a dent in the Lumberjacks’ momentum following last week’s impressive road victory at Star City.
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For Stuttgart, the difference came early. The Ricebirds struck through the air, capitalized on Warren turnovers and carried a 38-0 advantage into halftime. Despite that deficit, the Lumberjacks continued to compete, producing 16 unanswered points after the break before Stuttgart delivered the final blow on special teams.
The Ricebirds established control on their opening possession, although Warren nearly derailed the drive.
Facing third-and-long deep in Stuttgart territory, the Ricebirds benefited from a pass interference penalty that extended the possession. Stuttgart made the opportunity count, connecting on a 16-yard touchdown pass over the middle with 8:50 remaining in the opening quarter.
Warren quarterback Jackson Denton offered an early glimpse of what the Lumberjack offense could produce, scrambling for a key third-down conversion that moved Warren into Stuttgart territory. The drive eventually stalled on downs, however, and the Ricebirds wasted little time extending their advantage.
A 23-yard field goal pushed the Stuttgart lead to 10-0 with 5:27 remaining in the first quarter.
Warren’s defense answered with a fourth-down stand later in the period, giving the Lumberjacks possession at their own 31-yard line. But offensive consistency remained elusive, and Stuttgart took advantage of another opportunity, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds remaining.
Trailing 17-0, Warren finally found some breathing room when JaKobe Avery broke loose for a run of approximately 30 yards in the closing seconds of the quarter, flipping field position and providing a spark heading into the second.
The Lumberjacks carried that possession into the second quarter but surrendered the ball on downs with 10:30 remaining.
Warren’s defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, briefly opening the door for a momentum shift.
Instead, the game swung decisively in Stuttgart’s favor.
With 8:30 remaining before halftime, the Ricebirds intercepted a tipped Warren pass and returned it for a touchdown, extending their lead to 24-0.
Stuttgart’s passing game then delivered two more devastating blows. A 44-yard touchdown connection with 6:01 remaining stretched the margin to 31 points, and a 46-yard scoring pass less than two minutes later pushed the advantage to 38-0.
Complicating matters for Warren was an injury to Denton, which forced the Lumberjacks to turn to backup quarterback Coleman Byrd.
Warren continued looking for opportunities to get on the scoreboard, but interceptions near the Stuttgart goal line prevented the Lumberjacks from capitalizing. One pass was picked off in the end zone with 3:39 remaining, and another promising drive under Byrd ended with a red-zone interception in the final minute of the half.
By halftime, Stuttgart had turned its early opportunities into a commanding 38-point advantage.
With the continuous clock running under the mercy rule to begin the second half, Warren faced an uphill climb.
Coleman Byrd finished the game at quarterback with Denton out due to injury.
The backup quarterback began finding receivers and moving the chains, stringing together completions that carried Warren into Stuttgart territory.
With 5:37 remaining in the third quarter, Byrd finished the drive himself, scrambling six yards for a touchdown. Emanuel Pahuamba converted the extra point, putting Warren on the board at 38-7.
The Lumberjacks nearly turned that score into an immediate second opportunity.
Stuttgart mishandled the ensuing kickoff, and Avery recovered the loose football to give Warren possession again. The momentum proved short-lived when the Ricebirds intercepted Warren’s next offensive play.
Still, the Lumberjack defense refused to let the opportunity disappear entirely.
With Stuttgart backed up near its own goal line, Calloway made a tackle in the end zone for a safety, adding two more points and trimming the deficit to 38-9.
Warren carried that renewed energy into the fourth quarter.
Byrd again used his legs to finish a scoring possession, scrambling seven yards for his second touchdown of the night with 7:25 remaining. The successful extra point brought the Lumberjacks within 38-16.
But Stuttgart ensured the comeback would go no further.
On the kickoff following Byrd’s second touchdown, the Ricebirds broke free for a return touchdown, restoring their 29-point advantage and bringing the scoring to a close at 45-16.
Warren will look to regroup on the road next Friday, October 30, when the Lumberjacks travel to face Watson Chapel. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
