Warren Central Dragons (11-2)
It may be a new season for the Warren Central Dragons, but it’s a similar story; small numbers, big talent and even bigger expectations. Under Head Coach Mike Rogers the Dragons have become a fixture at the top of the Class 5A Rankings averaging 10 wins a season and making three consecutive Regional Final appearances. Despite some significant losses on both sides of the ball, the Dragons are poised to continue their winning ways in 2013.
Offensively the Dragon’s look to replace three-year starter Michael Bush at QB who was 33-7 as the trigger man for the Dragon’s offense. To fill the void Rogers will turn to a familiar face in the Dragon’s offensive huddle in standout wide receiver Chris Porter-Bunton. While Porter-Bunton should bring an added explosiveness to the Dragon’s ground game at QB, the transition will take time, and his talents at WR will most certainly be missed. “You hate to lose a guy out there with a Division I offer at receiver but it’s definitely what we had to do, “ said Rogers. “He’s learning things and trying to improve at that position.” All told the Dragons will look to replace eight starters from an offense that amassed over 3,600 yards on the ground in 2012, including starting running backs Kenin Reed (115-1,007yds, 9 TDs) and Trevent Green (72-909yds 10Tds), QB Michael Bush, and all five offensive lineman. In addition to graduation, injuries along the offensive front have created depth concerns for Coach Rogers and forced some of the lesser-experienced players to step in and play a bit earlier than perhaps expected. “We have a bunch of young guys and even some new guys step up. It’s a big learning curve and we have had a bit of an injury bug there too so we’ve really had to shift some guys around. So depth is going to be a big time issue for us up front, that’s where our conditioning is so important.” Senior running back Rondell Green is the lone returning starter in the backfield (61-507yds, 8 TDs) and will look to shoulder a significant load for the Dragons both on the ground and through the air. “Rondell is a great athlete that really has a nose for the big play on both sides of the ball. Rondell should get a great number of carries and be a primary target in the passing game,” said Rogers. Other key contributors for the Dragon’s offense this year include Chris Amos and Keaton Ausbrooks at wide receiver, as well as full back Dayrean Ross, a smaller but quick hitting back. Rogers feels Amos can help fill the big play void at WR left by Porter-Bunton and feels Ross can be another feature back to compliment Green.
Much like the offense, the defense will look from several new faces across the defensive front, but will return some key pieces to a 2012 Dragon defense that allowed less than 173 total yards per game, including the schools all-time sack leader Byron Carver, and starting linebackers Emmitt Smith and Robert Edwards. “At linebacker we are as good as we have been. Of course with Emmitt and Robert returning, and a couple of young guys we feel good about. Robert Edwards is a guy that could play anywhere for us, so we have also looked at him up front. Byron has played outside as kind of a hybrid linebacker, and we have looked at him inside a little more. Kodie Cardwell has also impressed the coaching staff this spring and early summer and is a player to watch.”
If the Dragons are to repeat their success of 2012, they will do so against an extremely unforgiving schedule. In addition to tough district games with the likes of Bowling Green ( 5A state champions) and Greenwood, Warren Central will host Louisville Desales (2A Semi-Finalist) while logging frequent traveler miles to Boyle County, Owensboro, and Ft. Thomas Highlands (4A State Champs). Rogers explained, “Tough thing for us is if you draw a 100-mile radius circle around Bowling Green we only play teams that are in our district. So we have to travel. We are going to E-town, we’ve got to go all the way to Ft. Thomas, we go to Boyle County, and it’s extremely difficult.
