WASHINGTON -- As they started 1-4, the Washington Warriors were feeling the pressure.
It wasn't just the pressure of playing their best football, or of being high-school student athletes, or even pressure from their coaching staff, girlfriends, parents, student body or even the rabid fans that weighed on their minds.
It wasn't even the pressure of changing to the flex-bone option offense from the spread.
The Warriors were feeling the pressure of keeping a pretty remarkable streak intact, of getting back into the playoffs for the 19th straight season.
"We kind of sat down one day and talked about it and said, 'OK, this isn't how we play football,'" senior Jordan Edwards said. "We've all played together since we were 5 years old. We never started off 1-4."
That's at any level.
Kids in Washington grow up all the way together, play at every level together. Never had these guys been on such a down streak.
"We had to turn something around," Edwards said.
So, the seniors took over, provided some leadership. And quarterback Dakota Treat, who the Washington option revolves around, started getting it.
Since, the Warriors have been on a roll.
They finished the regular season 5-0, outscoring opponents 191-45 down the stretch.
"It was a slow start, but we pulled it together toward the end," senior Chance Pistole said. "We got a big win at Frederick that just carried us through the rest of the season."
Washington's 20-19 victory at Frederick Oct. 9 was the turning point in the season. The Warriors needed that game. They needed every game after that just to make the postseason.
The one-point victory over Frederick was its third one-point game of the year.
Last week's 38-37 upset victory in the first round of the playoffs at Plainview was Washington's fourth. The Warriors are 3-1 in those one-point games.
"That was a big win for us, but we should have put them away early," Pistole said. "We let them back in it. But we won ... That just shows you we've got the determination and the heart to do what needs to be done to win a game at the end."
The Indians mounted a comeback on Washington last week, even taking the lead with 4 minutes left. But the Warriors responded, converting a two-point try that ended up winning the game.
That's some pressure.
And that's how the Warriors have risen to the occasion since that sit-down the seniors had before the Frederick game.
"None of us wanted to be the ones who broke that (playoff streak)," Edwards said.
The Warriors have a pretty big chip on their shoulder, too.
Many doubted they would even make the postseason after the rough start, despite the fact they won District 2A-3 last year and were riding that long history of playoff appearances.
When they had to go to Plainview, the doubting started again. At least they made the playoffs, but that would be as far as they'd go, right?
Wrong, now they're poised to make a run at the state quarterfinals. The Warriors just need to get through Millwood Friday, another tough team that will put on plenty of pressure.
"Last year, we had a few doubters, too," Pistole said. "We just need to take care of business Friday at Millwood, get some of that confidence back. I have a lot of respect for Millwood. They're a good team. But if they don't have respect for us, then by the end of the game, they will."
Jeff Johncox 366-3535 jjohncox@normantranscript.com
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Earning the respect
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