The Drew Central Pirates will return to action this Friday night in the final regular season contest of 2023 hosting the Rison Wildcats.
Having had the past two weeks off, the Pirates have had time to heal some injuries and rest for their final regular season game of the season.
Both Drew Central and Rison looked to be on different paths to begin the 2023 season.
For Rison, the Wildcats began the season with a loss to the Monticello Billies in a scrimmage contest and it seemed as if the season went downhill from there with Rison starting the season 0-7.
For the Pirates, Drew Central looked to be on the upswing after a competitive scrimmage game against Dumas followed by a win on the road at Bearden.
The Pirates would then lose a 34-8 game against 4A Mayflower in a game that did not get away from Drew Central until around the end of the second quarter and second half.
After two more losses in non conference contests, the Pirates began 3A-6 Conference play against conference favorite Camden Harmony Grove in a 46-12 loss and then came Fordyce.
It wasn’t that the Pirates were defeated by the Redbugs 47-14 but the Pirates lost more than just the game.
Quarterback Tre’Bennett Fuller would suffer a possible season ending injury and on the defensive side of the ball, one of the defensive leaders, Tyler Hornaday, would also leave with a season ending injury.
Travelling to Lake Village with Jase Watt taking over at quarterback the Pirates would get the win that would qualify them for the playoffs in a blowout victory of the Beavers.
Barton would travel to Drew Central to blow out the Pirates during homecoming 42-0.
Rison will enter Friday’s game having won two straight contests against Lake Village and Barton.
For Drew Central to move to fourth in the conference they have to defeat Rison and need Harmony Grove to lose to Barton to guarantee a fourth seed.
If the Pirates finish fifth they will more than likely travel to Booneville and a fourth place finish will get them Charleston.
