The Wando Warriors and their fans: Building a fortress on their home ground
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — Since the end of the 2019-20 season when the Wando Warriors finished 8-4, they have struggled in the league. They went on a very long losing streak after winning their 2020-21 season opener against the Cane Bay 35-10 on their home ground.
They lost five consecutive matches against Berkeley, Stratford, Goose Creek, West Ashley and FDHS respectively. Their last game of the season was a defining moment in how they would finish the season after only winning a single game.
They played against Stall in their last game of the season and managed to win after a five-game losing streak. The last time the Warriors met Stall, back in 2018, they won 52-13.
“We’ve struggled in the run game and that’s just not good high school football,” Jimmy Noonan, the head coach of the Wando Warriors at the time, said after the game against Stall in 2018. “There’s still a lot of work to do, of course, but it was nice to put some points up.”
With another win against Stall, 69-6, the Wando Warriors had the booster they needed to prepare for the 2021 season.
On Aug. 27, the Wando Warriors kicked off their 2021 season against the James Island Trojans, one of their greatest rivals. With 60-yard touchdown from senior running back Des Loring and a late touchdown run from around the red zone from the same player, the Wando Warriors got all they needed to get a win at home against the Trojans. They won the game 24-9, thanks to an outstanding performance from Loring and quarterback Devon Yard.
Robert Hayes Field, the home ground of the Wando Warriors, saw its first win in almost a year.
“It feels great to get a win,” Wando coach Rocco Adrian said after the win. “I thought our kids really played hard. We did some good things in all three phases, but we also made a lot of mistakes. It’s good to win, though. Sure feels better than losing.”
Unfortunately, the Wando Warriors lost their second game of the 2021-22 season, 43-0 away against FDHS on Sept. 17, but were able to record their second win of the season, 62-6 on Sept. 24 at home against Stall.
The Warriors then lost two consecutive away games against Cane Bay 27-7 and Berkeley 28-21 before narrowly losing for the first time at home against Stratford 24-22. The season ended for the Warriors after two other games against Goose Creek and West Ashley, where they lost both games.
A 2-6 record after a football season may not be an impressive one for most people, but the Wando Warriors have started building something that will stand the test of time. They are building an impenetrable fortress at Robert Hayes Field.
The Warriors’ two wins came on their home ground. Do you know the secret? Their home fans. The Warriors’ home fans are some of the loudest fans in the whole of South Carolina. It is a sound similar to the one that follows warriors when they are going into battle. Such is what the atmosphere is like at the home ground of the Wando Warriors. The other teams who managed to earn a win at Robert Hayes Field were lucky to do so.
The Wando Warriors may not have won any away games this season, but they have made a statement that all their rival teams need to take note of. The 2021 season was just a building process. Along with their fans, the Wando Warriors have created a fortress that will boost the team’s morale while it intimidates other teams in the 2022-23 season.
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