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The 2025 Conference season is officially underway with the Drew Central Pirates sitting on cloud nine after making program history on Friday night at Mike Pennington Stadium.
Since Drew Central reinstated their football program, some 18 years ago, the Pirates have had several ups and a lot of downs in getting the program going.
During the 18 years of program history, the Pirates would have one of the longest losing streaks in the state, going 0-40 over four seasons from 2011 through 2014, breaking the streak by winning two consecutive contests in the 2015 season, their only two wins of the season.
From 2008 through 2018 the Pirates most wins of any season was three games back in 2009 and 2010 and no chance of any type of playoff appearance through those years.
The would change in 2019 with the Pirates winning six total contests that season and finishing fourth in the conference to earn their first playoff berth in school history as the fourth seed in the 8-3A and would travel to Hoxie in the first round.
The Pirates would lead at the half but after an injury sidelined their quarterback, the Pirates would fall 54-38.
In the covid year of 2020, the Pirates would win one game but because of covid rules, all teams would get a playoff game.
The Pirates would have to face the number one seed, the Prescott Curley Wolves, however after travelling to Prescott the team would learn of a covid exposure that would force the Pirates to forfeit the contest.
The Pirates would have two more playoff appearances with the Pirates being the fourth seed each time out losing to number one seeds Prescott and Booneville.
The Booneville loss in 2023 was the last postseason appearance for the Pirates.
During the past 18 seasons, the Pirates have never started the conference season with a victory and in 12 contests with the McGehee Owls, the Pirates had never walked off the field with a victory over the Owls.
In that time period, McGehee has not only won every contest, but has been the dominant force on the field outscoring the Pirates 561-79 over those 12 games.
Entering the 2025 8-3A Conference season, the Drew Central Pirates would host the Owls on Friday night.
The Pirates entered the contest going 1-2 in non conference games, having lost to Smackover and West Helena and defeating England.
The Owls entered the contest with the same non-conference record having defeated Star City and lost to Hamburg and DeWitt.
The Pirates would win the opening coin toss and would elect to receive the ball to begin the contest.
McGehee would attempt an onside kick to begin the contest, but the ball would take a backwards motion giving the Pirates good field position for their first drive at the McGehee 38 yard line.
Tre’Bennett Fuller would connect with Jeremiah Bodiford on the first play of the contest on a 17 yard pass to the McGehee 21.
After a two yard run by Tyviance Wormley and a nine yard pickup by Fuller, Wormley would get the next two carries to cover the remaining 10 yards for the Pirate touchdown.
Hunter Griffin would come on to add the extra point to put the Pirates up 7-0 with 9:40 remaining in the first quarter.
McGehee would not be able to get any offense going on their first drive and would have to punt the ball out of their own territory with the punt rolling inside the Pirate five, being downed at the two.
Drew Central would get the ball out of the danger zone but would be forced to punt the ball away from their own 25 with McGehee’s Ja’corrian Love calling for a fair catch at the McGehee 40.
McGehee would move the ball into Drew Central territory but would turn the ball over on downs at the Pirate 28 with 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The Pirates would extend their next possession into the second quarter, and would be able to drive down to the McGehee seven before turning the ball over on downs.
The Drew Central defense would force the Owls to punt on the next drive with McGehee forcing Drew Central to punt on their next possession.
The Pirates would get the first turnover of the contest on the Owls next possession after McGehee’s quarterback, Aundre Allen, was sacked in the backfield by Dre Jones, forcing Allen to fumble the ball that was recovered by Drew Central’s Aiden Everett.
The Pirates would get a few plays off before the half still leading 7-0
Returning from the halftime break, the Pirates would kickoff to begin the second half with the Owls possession ending on a turnover after Fuller intercepted the Allen pass at the Pirate 16 returning the ball into Mcgehee territory at the 45 but a block in the back penalty would move the Pirate possession back into Pirate territory at their own 37.
McGehee would get a turnover on the possession after Fuller’s pass was intercepted at the McGehee 26 and returned to the McGehee 44 by Ja’quis Hughes.Another Owl turnover would give the Pirates possession at their own 35, after a McGehee fumble was recovered by Alex Pitts.
A holding penalty would drive the Pirates back to the Pirate 25 and on the next play a Pirate fumble would be recovered by McGehee’s Mason Clemons who would scoop the ball up at the Pirate 25 and return the ball back for a 25 yard defensive touchdown.
Rashawn Brown would carry the ball in for the two-point conversion to give the Owls the 8-7 lead with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter.
The Pirates would begin their next drive at their own 39 trailing for the first time in the contest.
Fuller and Jayden Jones would combine on carries to move the ball out to the 50 and before the quarter would end, Fuller had connected with Bodiford on a 13 yard pickup and Blake Chandler for a 16 yard gain to the McGehee 12.
Wormley would move the ball to the nine yard line to begin the fourth quarter with Fuller covering the last nine yards for the touchdown.
Griffin added the extra point to give the Pirates a 14-8 advantage with 11:48 remaining in the contest.
Griffin would kick the ball into the endzone for a touchback to give the Owls the ball at their own 20 but the Pirate defense would keep McGehee in their own territory, forcing Love to punt the ball away which was fielded by Chandler at the Drew Central 35, returning the ball inside the McGehee 10 yard line down to the eight.
Jones would move the ball to the six with Fuller taking it the rest of the way for the score.
Griffin added the extra point to extend the lead to 21-8 with 6:54 remaining in the contest.
The Pirate defense would force the Owls to punt one final time in the contest and after gaining a first down on their drive, the Pirates were able to let the clock expire to give Drew Central their first victory over the McGehee Owls in program history.
After the contest, head coach Larry White would express to his team just how proud he was of what they had accomplished but to enjoy this one for the next 48 hours because then it would be time to prepare for the undefeated Fordyce Redbugs.
Offensively, Fuller would finish the contest going 6 for 11 for 55 yards and an interception and would carry the ball 19 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Tyviance Wormley had 13 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown.
Jayden Jones had 10 carries for 24 yards.
Jeremiah Bodiford led in receptions with two catches for 24 yards, with Chandler having one catch for 16 yards, and Zae Bullard with one for 14.
Chandler would also have a punt return for 57 yards.
Dre Jones led the team with 7.5 tackles including a sack and forced fumble.
Aiden Everett and Alex Pitts each recorded fumble recoveries with Fuller having an interception.
Cyrus Remley and Everettwould also record a sack in the contest.
Hunter Griffin would connect on three extra point opportunities and would have a touchback on one kickoff and would just miss on another touchback after the kick took a bounce out of bounds at the two yard line.
With the win over McGehee, not only was it the first win over the Owls in school history but with the win it marks the first time in program history that the Pirates begin the 8-3A Conference portion of the schedule 1-0.
The Pirates will have to travel to Fordyce on Friday night, to face an undefeated Redbug team that many are picking to win the conference.
The Redbugs are currently 4-0 overall and 1-0 in conference having defeated Monticello, Magnet Cove, Mineral Springs, and Barton.
The Redbugs and Pirates are scheduled to kickoff at 7 pm on Friday, October 3, in Fordyce at Paul “Bear” Bryant Stadium.
