Our Sports Michiana Game of the Week for Friday, November 8th is in Class 5A as Concord (10-0) plays host to Warsaw (7-3).

DIRECT LINK TO WATCH WARSAW AT CONCORD.

Sports Michiana will provide the only video stream of the game through IHSAA TV. You can also find the broadcast by going to ihsaatv.org or the IHSAATV App and searching “Sports Michiana”. Also, if you go to sportsmichiana.com/watch, it will re-direct you to our live stream page.

Pregame coverage will begin at 6:45pm with kickoff at 7pm.

Reminder: No YouTube or Facebook streaming is allowed in the playoffs.

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Fans at Jake Field Friday night will see a football game and a chess match at the same time.

“(Warsaw coach) Bart (Curtis) knows what we’re trying to do to stop the flexbone,” laments Concord boss Craig Koehler. “From a fundamental standpoint, we know what they’re trying to do. That’s just the start of the chess match. You get down this rabbit hole of ‘they know this what we like to do in response to that’, so what are they going to try to do to counter that response? Can they get a step ahead of us or can we get a step ahead of what their counter is?”

The respect is mutual.

“Throughout my whole career, I haven’t seen a defense that’s as detail-oriented against our offense,” admits Warsaw quarterback Drew Sullivan. “They definitely know what we’re going to be doing and we know what they’re going to be doing.”

Bart Curtis knows Concord has earned its #1 ranking with a 10-0 record.

“They’ve answered the bell every time,” notes the 34-year coaching veteran. “They get knocked to the canvas and they get up. They’re so diverse offensively, and they’re very, very solid. sound and aggressive defensively. They can beat you in a lot of ways.”

Warsaw learned that first-hand on September 20, losing a 17-point lead and falling 28-24.

“It’s just sticking together,” states Concord senior and Purdue commit Jaron Thomas. “When things get hard and times are tough, we always have each other to lean on. ”

Both teams are hungry for sectional success. The Minutemen are seeking their first crown since 2018. Warsaw, which has been playing 6A the last several years, won its only sectional title in 2019.