Warren’s Carter Pascuzzi (11) celebrates a Tommy Nyquist (22) touchdown in the Dragons’ 50-28 win over Girard two weeks ago at Youngsville High School. After six years without a high school football game at Mike Shine Field, Warren — which co-ops with Youngsville — will play there for the second time in three weeks due to renovation at War Memorial Field in Warren. Times Observer photo by Jon Sitler

After losing its first two games in convincing fashion, Warren looks for its third straight win in this teeter-totter of a 2022 high school football season.

A winning record wouldn’t be so strange for the Dragons, looking to move to 3-2 with a home win on Saturday night. The who and where has become the unfamiliar part through five weeks. For the second time in three weeks, Warren’s home game at 6 p.m. Saturday against Fairview will be at Youngsville High School, due to delayed construction work at War Memorial Field in Warren. And with the Dragons dropping to Class 3A this season, they meet another somewhat unfamiliar non-region opponent in the Tigers. The last time these two teams met was four years ago on opening night of the 2019 season after playing four straight years.

“Youngsville has become our home away from home,” said Warren coach Mark Morelli. “I think our team is comfortable playing there. It was a great atmosphere playing there two weeks ago and we anticipate more of the same tonight. As for Fairview, they have had some coaching changes over the years, but the past two years they seem to have stabilized the program a bit.

“They are 2-2, they have athletes at their skill positions, a 1,000-yard rusher back, and a good-size line,” added Morelli. “Their two wins are versus Mercyhurst Prep and Harbor Creek; their two losses were against Fort LeBouef and Meadville. If we are to be successful, we have to play better than we did last week versus Conneaut. Fairview is in the same boat as us, so this should be a competitive game.”

After two losses in which Warren allowed a combined 100 points, the Dragons dominated Girard in a 50-28 non-region win at Youngsville High School. Last week, it took a last-second field goal by first-year kicker Gavin Rex and a Herculean rushing and receiving game from running back Tommy Nyquist to escape Linesville with a 10-7 victory.

“Week number 5, we are 2-2; football season has its own set of ebbs and flows to it,” said Morelli. “Each week brings a new set of challenges. I would think our kids have embraced the week-in and week-out routines that go into a season. Last week was a lesson in not letting your guard down. We did not play well, but found a way to win the game. This week, we need to bounce back and bring our ‘A’ game versus Fairview. We are definitely capable of doing that.”