Coming off of a 5A runner-up finish last season, Decatur Central had to get by a hungry Warsaw team playing in its first championship game — ever. 

The Hawks got off to a hot start with junior ATH Kasmir Hicks setting the tone early with a 13-yard run on the first play from scrimmage. Hicks then followed his hot start by taking a screen pass 38 yards into the endzone to put Decatur Central up 7-0 early. 

“We knew coming into this game that are athletes were better,” Hicks said. “[Using the screen] helped us spread them out, and they weren’t adjusting to it so we kept running it.” 

The Tigers would answer right back — using a 42-yard sprint from junior runningback Quinton Brock to set up a one-yard keeper from senior quarterback Drew Sullivan. 

Brock then intercepted junior quarterback Bo Polston to give the ball back to Warsaw’s offense in a momentum-shifting play. However, after a 29-yard rush from sophomore Tucker Reed, the Tigers would fumble the ball away into the hands of junior ATH Mykul Campbell to give the ball right back. 

From that point on, Hawks would have chunk gains from Hicks and junior ATH Fa’Rel Carter – each scoring from eight and four yards out, respectively. 

“My coaches put me in a position to do what I do,” Carter said. “I never asked to play all these positions (RB, WR, DB), but they put me there and I make plays.”

Holding a 24-7 lead late in the half, Warsaw pulled into its bag of tricks to get Reed into space with a 33-yard sprint off of a hook-and-ladder. The nifty play would set up senior kicker Mason Smythe for a 47-yard field goal to make it a 24-10 ball game going into halftime. 

Starting with the ball to start the last half of play, Warsaw got things started with a 61-yard sprint up the gut from junior running back Brody Duncan to shrink the deficit to just seven points. 

The Hawks would strike back with a 56-yard kickoff return from Hicks to set up a 4-yard score from Carter just a few plays later. A sequence of plays that describes the Decatur Central team — which is led by a dominant 2026 class that was responsible for 380 of the Hawks’ 421 scrimmage yards. 

“Most of the ‘26 class [on the team] grew up playing together since second grade,” Hicks said. “The bond is [tight], we work together and play good.”

Sophomore defensive back Hunter Harvey would put a hiccup in Warsaw’s comeback attempt as his red zone interception would ensure the Hawks’ 14-point lead held strong into the fourth quarter. 

At the start of the fourth quarter, senior defensive back Tristan Wilson managed to get his hands on an Ashton Vogel field goal attempt to block the kick and give the Tigers a bit of life down 14. 

Following the slight momentum shift, Brock broke free for a 40-yard sprint down the far sideline before Sullivan would botch a second handoff exchange, giving possession back to the Hawks midway through the fourth quarter. 

A fierce Warsaw defense led by senior linebacker Cohen Heady would not fold, forcing a three-and-out and giving the ball right back to the Tiger offense. Despite a big gain from senior ATH Ethan Egolf, the Tigers would ultimately fizzle out on fourth and long with five minutes to go. 

Up 14 late without being able to fully shake off Warsaw, the Hawks leaned on the man of the night as Carter broke a tackle and sprinted 74 yards to the endzone — putting away Warsaw for good. 

A late touchdown reception from Egolf and an onside recovery from the Tigers would make things a little interesting late, but ultimately the game would end just how it started — with the ball in Carter’s hand who snagged a one-handed interception on the final play of the IHSAA football season. 

“It hasn’t sunk in…this time last year we were right here crying,” Carter said. “The goal was to get back and win it, and that’s what we did — I’m proud of us.”