2026 Countdown to Kickoff: South Warren Spartans

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The South Warren Spartans are no longer underdogs.

After a historic and dominant inaugural run in Class 6A last fall, the Spartans are entering the 2026 season with a new reality: they are the team to beat.

In 2025, South Warren defied the odds in Kentucky’s highest football class, riding an undefeated 13-0 record all the way to the state championship game at Kroger Field. Though their flawless run ended with a tough loss to three-peat champions Louisville Trinity, that runner-up finish has only added fuel to the fire for the upcoming season.

“We don’t really have the underdog mentality anymore,” senior linebacker Cole Kuzma said. “I think we’re expected to be the dominant team, and we’re going to be the dominant team.”

While graduation claimed the Spartans’ leading rusher, leading receiver, and several key offensive linemen, South Warren returns a loaded core of championship-tested talent.

Camden Page will be the lone man under center this season. Now with a full year of starting experience under his belt, Page is primed to lead the offense through high-pressure moments.

“Camden’s done a tremendous job,” South Warren Head Coach Brandon Smith said. “He’s got a year under his belt of playing quality in big-time games. With that comes expectations. When people expect you to be good, and they know your name before the game, it’s a little different. He’s prepared for that.”

On the other side of the ball, defensive standout Takyon Darden returns to anchor the unit. Darden dominated last season, leading the team with 68 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three sacks, and an interception.

“We gotta raise it a notch from last year because obviously last year we wasn’t good enough,” Darden said. “Every day we just got to come out here, push ourselves, and get better.”

To prepare for the target on their backs, the Spartans spent the offseason pushing their physical and mental limits. Workouts began before school in the freezing winter mornings and transitioned to grueling 5 a.m. padded practices in the summer heat.

“I think we’ve practiced more intense than probably anybody in the state, honestly,” senior Will Mayes said. “We’re a lot hungrier this year. We want it all.”

Coach Smith knows that navigating a season with a target on their backs is a fresh challenge for this specific group of players.

“They’re going to know we’re coming before we show up, and the intensity of every game is going to be a little higher,” Smith said. “You’ve got a target on your back, so to speak, and that’s different. These guys haven’t experienced that yet... I’m excited to see how they handle it.”

For the Spartans, the road back to Kroger Field begins with focusing on the daily grind.

“We’re not last year’s team anymore, so we got to stay together through the hard times,” senior receiver Justin Capps said. “It’s going to take a lot of focus and hard work to take down a team like Trinity. Just take it one step at a time, one game at a time. Every game matters.”

2026 South Warren Football Schedule:

Week 1- August 21st vs Bryan Station @ Lexington Christian Academy

Week 2- August 28th vs Dupont Manual

Week 3- September 4th vs Greenwood

Week 4- September 11th @ Bowling Green

Week 5- September 18th vs Christian County

Week 6- September 25th vs Pulaski County

Week 7- October 1st @ Meade County*

Week 8- BYE

Week 9- October 16th vs Central Hardin*

Week 10- October 23rd @ Daviess County*

Week 11- October 30th @ Logan County