WARSAW — The first win on the new field felt good and looked better. The Warsaw football team had entered Friday’s game against Elkhart Memorial with a bad taste in its mouth. The Tigers had dropped their previous two games by a combined 12 points and were itching to get back in the win column. A game back home against a Charger squad that had stunned the Tigers 42-33 in 2015 was exactly what Warsaw needed. The Orange and Black scored early and often as they would rout the visiting Chargers 49-6.

Warsaw coach Phil Jensen chewed his team out following a 17-10 loss to rival Plymouth last Friday and the coach had a message for his team before the game this week as well.

“I chewed them out before we came out on the field,” Jensen said, fighting back a grin. “They’ve got to get that message. That’s what I said to the after the game, if we can learn to apply ourselves every day in practice, every drill, just think where the upside could be.

“I don’t know where that upside is, they don’t know, but that’s why you just have to trust and go do it. I’m proud of what they did tonight. I didn’t ask them to do it, I told them to do it.”

If Friday’s performance was anywhere near the upside of what Warsaw is capable of, then the rest of the Northern Lakes Conference needs to be put on red alert.

The Tigers totaled 403 yards of offense. It was the Michael Jensen show in the first half for the home team. Jensen scored the first touchdown of the night, a one-yard keeper play. That score was set up by a long pass from Jensen to Devin Street. Jensen came back to find D’Andre Street for a 43-yard score later in the quarter. Warsaw led 14-0 after one. The next two scores were much like the first couple. Jensen had a short run, making it 21-0. Then, later, Jensen connected with D’Andre for a 20-yard score.

Memorial cut the lead to 28-6 with a pass from Nathan Williams to Nolan Grose with 2:27 left in the half. Jensen marched the Tigers back down the field and, again, found D’Andre for a score, this time from 14-yards out. 35-6 Tigers at the break.

Jensen threw for 178 yards and accounted for five total touchdowns in the game. In the second half it was all about working that clock, meaning the Tigers turned to running back Will McGarvey. The junior scored twice in the second half, once from 15 yards out and a second time from 52 yards, which earned an, “It’s too easy” chant from the Warsaw cheer block. McGarvey finished his night with 193 yards on the ground.

“It starts up front on the offensive line,” Jensen stated. “Memorial took some things away with their coverage, but our protection was such that it allowed Michael to scramble and our receivers know what to do to get open. Coach (Bruce) Barlow does such a good job with them, and these guys have played together for a long time. They know if we have time, there’s a chance to get them the football. Big plays, big plays.”

Defensively Warsaw surrendered 92 yards and one score, recorded one sack and 15 tackles for loss.

The Tigers now move to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in Northern Lakes Conference play. Undefeated NorthWood leads the conference at 2-0, every other team has at least one loss in the standings, leaving Warsaw heavily in the mix. So, what’s next for the Tigers?

“That’s up to them,” Jensen stated. “That’s up to them. Here’s the key to that, though: I’m not going to be anymore satisfied. I’m not going to get any more comfortable.

“They showed me that they’ll do it now they’re gonna do it every day in practice. Because they’ve proven there’s another level. Well, you know, I think there’s a couple, three, four more levels. But they’ve got to get that out of themselves. They’re good kids, I’m really proud of them.”

The 49 points scored by Warsaw was the most the Tigers had totaled in a conference win since a 57-27 win over Wawasee in 2009.

Warsaw travels to Northridge next Friday. Memorial travels to Plymouth. Northridge topped Plymouth Friday night for its first win of the season.