As the Higley Knights drove towards the end zone at the start of the second overtime, Desert Edge defensive end Deshawn Warner had given every ounce of energy possible to put his Scorpions teammates into position to win the game.
By that point in the game Warner had not just led the Scorpions defense at his normal position off the edge, but also as Desert Edge’s kicker and punter.
After an incident that saw his teammate Darius Luvera move to quarterback from his typical wide receiver position, Warner added wide receiver duty to his list of responsibilities as he was willing to do whatever it took to win the game.
As the Knights lined up for second down and goal, Warner went down to one knee and needed to be helped up by four trainers as he began to cramp all over his body.
Warner begged to stay in but eventually had to be helped off the field to the sideline and was forced into watching his defense make a stand instead of leading it as he had throughout his career.
But instead of sulking in the pain of the cramps and the anger of being forced to a footnote in the final defensive drive, he yelled from the sidelines and cheered his teammates on both third and fourth down as they stopped the Knights and put the Scorpions into a position to win the game.
Moments like that are why his teammates look at him as one of their leaders and their voice on the field.
"When we're at practice or in a game I'm telling myself I got to make a play to help get my teammates going and I'm ready to do it every time,” Warner said.
That's exactly what Warner did late in the second quarter as he came off the edge and jumped up to intercept a pass and returned it for a Desert Edge touchdown.
Plays like that are what makes the game fun for Warner.
Through four games, on top of the interception mentioned above his seven sacks leads the 5A conference.
Having fun and winning are the key goals for Warner who wants to enjoy his senior season before going to Kansas University to play football for the Jayhawks.
"I want us to have fun every game, this is the last year of high school ball before it becomes like a business, I want us to have fun and I want us to get that ring," said Warner.
For Warner and the Scorpions to be able to accomplish those two goals, leadership from him is crucial and he believes that is how he can help Desert Edge continue to win as the season goes on.
"When the guys see the work that I put in and how I prepare myself they gravitate towards the things I do and want to do what I do because they know we can win when we're on the same page," said Warner.
But for all the talent that Warner possesses, his path to becoming a Division One defensive end has been far from easy as Desert Edge Co-Head coaches Mark and Marcus Carter talked about after the victory against the Knights.
"When DJ first came up to varsity as a wide receiver, we had a couple dudes down and DJ was thrusted into the position, He wasn't with it at first, but he came in and had a couple of sacks and it was off from there," said Marcus Carter.
Warner had to take his lumps as an underclassman before he could progress to the player he is now. But for the struggles he had on the field, he was able to keep his head up and work hard eventually becoming the leader of the team.
"A guy like that who is down social-economically, his mother is sick, you give a young kid like that some confidence he'll become a leader over time and that's what he is, he's just so special," said Marcus Carter.
Off the field, Warner has made a commitment to being a leader not just for the school but for the community as well. Prior to the Scorpions week four game, Warner posted on his social media pages a commercial for a teen suicide prevention hotline. Things like that are why Warner has become the face of the program.
"He's a difference maker on and off the field, He did the Suicide hotline commercial because he wanted to spread that message, he runs FCA for us every Friday, he's truly one of a kind," said Mark Carter.
Making an impact even when people aren't noticing is why Warner is in position to play football at the next level. It doesn't matter if it's work he is told to do or he willingly does on his own, he does it at 110 percent.
"Whether it was telling him to put on weight, work on the scouting report, he just leads by example, You tell him something and he does it, anything DJ wants to do he does it, He's earned everything in his life, he can play on Sunday's, " said Marcus Carter.
After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Scorpion teammates Aundre Gibson and Jonathan Kamara will join Warner at Kansas with the ability to make an impact early in their college careers.
Warner has had to work for every single thing in his life to this point and has allowed himself the ability to continue his education and his football career at a high level through the effort he has put in.
The path to stardom has not been easy for Deshawn Warner, but the path has now led him to a place where he can reap the rewards of his hard work and it may only be the beginning of a long stretch of successes in his career.
