WARNER – Physically, Zach Wood does not cast the most imposing shadow on the Warner football roster.

The Monarch senior checks in at just under a slim 150 pounds, but his importance to Warner’s journey to the Class 9A state title game is nearly impossible to overstate.

“Pound-for-pound – I don’t even know if he weighs 145 pounds,” said Warner coach Kerwin Hoellein. “ It’s amazing what he gets done on the football field. He’s definitely a weapon in the open field. He’s elusive, he’s quick. I think he’s somewhere around 15 or 16 touchdowns. … He’s having an amazing season.”

That season, however, is essentially being lived out in the shadows. Despite averaging better than eight yards a carry and leading the team in receptions, reception yardage and yards per catch, Wood’s senior season is being played out in teammate Hunter Cramer’s shadow.

Cramer has 22 touchdowns to Wood’s 16 and nearly four times as many rushing yards.

The thing is, Wood doesn’t care. The Monarchs are 11-0 and playing for a state title, and Wood couldn’t possibly ask for more.

“I’m completely fine if I only got three to five touches a game,” Wood said. “I play for the team. I’m not one to care about my stats. As long as the team is doing well, I’m happy.”

For some, that would be merely lip service, but Hoellein was quick to echo the sentiment.

“That’s a reflection of his character,” Hoellein said. “It doesn’t surprise me a bit. He comes from a family that puts the team ahead of the individual, and that’s what you get out of Zach. There’s a saying about a kid is a great player but an even better person. That’s 100 percent true about Zach Wood.”

Cramer’s success often plays into Wood’s and the Monarchs are more than happy to let the pair play off each other.

“Teams start keying on Hunter, then all of a sudden on a counter or a reverse, there goes Zach for a 40-yard touchdown,” Hoellein said.

And if that weren’t enough, Wood is doing all of it with an injured, probably-should-be-surgically-repaired shoulder.

“Last season against Hamlin, I just went to make a normal tackle,” Wood said. “It popped out on me. I didn’t think anything of it, but during basketball season, it kept dislocating on me.”

It’s enough of an issue that the Monarchs are forced to limit Wood to the offensive side of the ball as much as they can, so as to keep him available for Warner’s high-powered offensive attack.

“It’s definitely a bummer,” Wood said about not being able to play with the defense. “But it’s nice to have some underclassmen to fill those roles.”

Wood has been instrumental in bringing those underclassmen along, helping guide them through learning both the offense and defensive assignments.

So far, so good for the Monarchs, who take the field at 7 tonight, facing off against Gregory for the Class 9A title. Warner is making its fourth state title game appearance in the last decade.

“No other way you want to finish your season than playing for a state championship,” Wood said.