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Dylan Warren, who also wrestled through his injury, underwent surgery in mid-March and has rapidly sped up his recovery window from nine months down to six months.

Like any good teammate, Dylan Warren didn’t want to let an injury hold back the Wisconsin Dells High School football team last season.

Instead, the Chiefs starting center played through a torn right anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus suffered in the first game, helping Wisconsin Dells reach program heights it hadn’t touched in three-and-a-half decades.

After undergoing surgery in mid-March, Warren has been hard at work to not miss his senior season.

“I just don’t want to let anyone down and I can’t let myself down,” Warren said. “I just want to have one good last year, give it everything I’ve got and hopefully go as far as we can.”

Dylan Warren credits his speedy recovery to a diligent, dedicated physical therapy regimen. He said that he begins his day with a 15-to-20-minute run followed by a pair of workout sessions, one in the weight room with teammates and another with Wisconsin Dells athletic trainer Simone Muller.

Warren, a unanimous two-way first-team All-South Central Conference selection last season, helped the Chiefs capture their first SCC title, and reach the WIAA Division 4 state quarterfinals, for the first time since 1986.

It’s all the more impressive given he nearly didn’t play the final 11 games of the season. After hearing his knee pop in a season-opening 18-13 win over Richland Center, Warren said he initially wasn’t supposed to play in the Chiefs’ Week 2 home opener against Black River Falls. However, after some initial struggles with snaps, and with a brace on his knee, he hit the field.

“Even though I wasn't supposed to play, I performed pretty well on offense and I kept going, no matter how much it hurt,” he said.

The pain didn’t subside as Warren experimented with a number of different taping remedies week-by-week, but he continued to forge ahead throughout the remainder of the season, and subsequently through the winter wrestling season.

Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren battled through a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee last season. Coming off of surgery, the Chiefs senior has been hard at work to set the table for another big campaign.

Second-year coach Mike Janke said he and the staff “kind of just chalked it up as to how his knees are,” regarding Warren’s Week 1 injury because of previous issues during middle school. Janke also wasn’t surprised about Warren’s work ethic while playing injured.

“He was one of the people that early in the years in middle school he was a ‘try-hard,’” Janke said. “It seems like the big thing nowadays with the kids is ‘Oh, you’re trying too hard,’ and Dylan said ‘No, this is just how you do stuff.’”

That effort has continued with Warren pushing to be ready as soon as possible. With a typical ACL recovery lasting nine months, Warren is well ahead of schedule and nearing being ready within six months of surgery.

“I just wanted to be one of those people to not miss another season,” he said.

Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren tries to bring down Freedom's Carter Kriewaldt during a WIAA Division 4 Level 3 playoff game last season.

That can be credited to a fierce commitment to his rehabilitation regimen. Warren said he typically runs 15-to-20 minutes a day, as well as physical therapy with Wisconsin Dells athletic trainer Simoné Müller, and the Chiefs’ strength-and-conditioning program where he focused on “quad strengthening, patella strengthening with a sled and leg extensions.”

“He’s a kid who’s hard to slow down but the effort he’s putting in is obviously why he’s on schedule,” Janke said.

Warren hopes to get cleared to practice on Aug. 17, and after that he will do his WIAA-mandated “return to play” practices before suiting up for the Chiefs’ conference crossover game against River Valley on Sept. 2.

Warren has a strong base to build off last season after he helped the Chiefs pile up over 3,600 yards of offense and 58 touchdowns, while adding 53 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss and two sacks defensively. So even though he’ll be behind the proverbial 8-ball, missing the opening two weeks of practice plus two games, he feels ready to make life miserable on opponents, with no worry of re-injury.

“It’s a big mental help knowing that now there’s nothing wrong with it, I can go full bore and it’ll hold up for me,” he said. “I feel like a better athlete. Even though I’ve had the time away, I feel stronger than ever.”

Coach: Mike Janke, second season, 12-1.

Last season: 12-1 overall, 7-0 South Central Conference, lost 35-0 to Freedom in Level 3 of WIAA Division 4 playoffs.

Outgoing: Wisconsin Dells loses a lot of production from last season’s unbeaten South Central Conference championship, including six two-way starters who were All-SCC selections. Headlining that group are league Offensive Player of the Year Matt Getgen (1,638 rushing yards, 21 touchdowns) and Defensive POY Will Michalsky (104 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 interceptions). Also gone are Brooks Slack, Peyton Knapton, James Sampson and Jacob Rockwell.

Returning: The Chiefs return six starters, headlined by the trenches trio of Dylan Warren and fellow seniors Hunter Isaacson and Lennon Stroede. Isaacson led the Chiefs with 105 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and six sacks, Stroede added 76 tackles (13 TFLs and six sacks), and both helped pave the way offensively alongside Warren. Starting quarterback Braden Buss also returns after throwing for over 1,700 yards and 18 TDs last season.

Outlook: After being a run-first team last season, Janke acknowledged that the Chiefs could open up the passing portion of their playbook this fall. Expect junior Degan Jensen and senior Yevgeny Dedun to be top targets for Buss following the departure of his three leading receivers. Janke is still confident Wisconsin Dells has the bodies to run the ball, with senior Patrick Metz likely succeeding Getgen as the go-to rusher. Seniors John Scott and Dom Dimond are other weapons at Janke’s disposal. Look for seniors Trey Morse and Spencer Garbacz to also feature in the trenches along the Chiefs’ top trio of returnees, as well as senior Westley Backhaus.

Aug. 26;at Black River Falls

• Home games in BOLD CAPS

• Games are at 7 p.m. unless noted

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Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren battled through a torn ACL and meniscus in his right knee last season. Coming off of surgery, the Chiefs senior has been hard at work to set the table for another big campaign.

Wisconsin Dells' Dylan Warren tries to bring down Freedom's Carter Kriewaldt during a WIAA Division 4 Level 3 playoff game last season.

Dylan Warren, who also wrestled through his injury, underwent surgery in mid-March and has rapidly sped up his recovery window from nine months down to six months.

Dylan Warren credits his speedy recovery to a diligent, dedicated physical therapy regimen. He said that he begins his day with a 15-to-20-minute run followed by a pair of workout sessions, one in the weight room with teammates and another with Wisconsin Dells athletic trainer Simone Muller.

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