Back on top. Warren Central knocks off Carmel, clinches first MIC title since 2019

INDIANAPOLIS – What a difference a year can make.

This time last year, Warren Central was on the receiving end of a 35-point road loss to Carmel.

But this year, the Warriors welcomed the Greyhounds to their stomping grounds and left as the winning titan with a Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference (MIC) title to show for it.

Class 6A No. 2 Warren Central (8-0, 7-0) secured its first MIC title since 2019 with a 42-28 win over No. 9 Carmel (4-4, 3-3) on Friday.

“It’s really crazy, it feels unreal,” said senior wideout Zechariah Wallace. “We haven’t won the MIC in six years, so it really means something to us because of how last year went with Carmel – just stepping back up (this year). I know I didn’t have a good game against Carmel last year, just really stepping up, making the plays we needed to make … the whole team, everybody was really locked in all week.”

After coming up empty on their first two possessions, the Warriors got on the board first on Friday. Iowa commit Keyon Thomas, a week removed from a 379-yard, six touchdown game vs. Lawrence North, rushed for a 19-yard gain before he scored the opening touchdown from 8 yards out.

With a minute and change left in the quarter, the Greyhounds kept the chains moving with a few Warren Central penalties before Ayden Johnson powered forward for a 1-yard touchdown run. Warren Central senior Sean Fox kept the home team in front by blocking Carmel’s PAT attempt.

After dual-threat quarterback Chris Harris subbed in for an injured Jackson Treadway at the start of the second quarter, he used his feet and helped the Greyhounds compile a seven-play, 54-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown catch by Alim Broadnax.

Harris converted the two-point conversion. He rushed the ball seven times for 83 yards in one quarter of work.

The Warriors tied things up at 14, courtesy of a 14-yard touchdown catch by Wallace – who kept both feet inbounds on the right side of the end zone.

“He’s a dawg,” said Warren Central quarterback Anthony Dennison. “He goes up and gets every single ball that’s up in the air. Having him as my plus-one, that’s a real blessing. When you’re in trouble Zech’s down there somewhere.”

Sophomore Mark Chapman III, who earned his first varsity start, hauled in a 33-yard catch that put the Warriors in scoring position before Thomas drove in his second touchdown of the night from one yard out and put the Warriors in front with 19 seconds left in the first half.

On their first possession of the second half, the Warriors added to their lead. Senior Keysean Williams-Jarrett made it a 28-14 game with his fifth touchdown grab of the season. He grabbed a 30-yard pass to keep Warren Central in front. About two minutes later, Harris found Broadnax for a 28-yard touchdown that cut Carmel’s deficit to seven.

The Warriors put two more touchdowns on the board. On fourth-and-21, Wallace drug his toes inside the endzone for a 27-yard touchdown catch with under three minutes left in the third quarter.

With three minutes and change left in the game, Thomas evaded a defender before he bounced left and ran down 37 yards for a score. Thomas, Warren Central’s resident extraterrestrial, flexed his otherworldly talent and closed out the Warriors MIC title win.

He finished the night with 28 carries, 230 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s the heart and soul of our team,” said Warren Central coach J.T. Whitaker. “He just runs with power, but also speed. Credit to our offensive line. When they get to the second level, good things happen. There was a lot of times tonight where we got him to (Carmel) safety and if we do that, we feel pretty good about what we got going.”

The Greyhounds scored in the final minute but that didn’t put a dent on the Warriors’ lead.

Warren Central has been built different this year. They are a year removed from posting an 8-5 record, currently sitting at 8-0 in 2026 with a MIC title now wrapped up.

They’ve only been in two single-digit games through eight weeks of work. They’ve lived up to their Warriors nickname, slaying every opponent that have dared to stand across from them on the gridiron. Friday was another test to their will on a night when penalties were a thorn on their side.

They have felt the virtue of their grind. They navigated their first full offseason under Whitaker, who was hired in Dec. 2024. Strength and conditioning coach Chris Smith is credited for his role in preparation.

Now, with one regular season game left on the docket, Warren Central has proven to be a true contender. An unbeaten squad that have fortified their focus and don’t plan to let up on the gas anytime soon.

“I think we have the same mentality as last year, but we’re dialed in more,” Dennison said. “We’re focused, we all come tighter, we’re selfless. Everybody wants each other to succeed. I think that’s the big difference from last year to this year.”

Marc Ray is a high school sports reporter at the IndyStar. He can be reached at marc.ray@indystar.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Back on top. Warren Central knocks off Carmel, clinches first MIC title since 2019