Even as his team’s injured list started aligning nicely with his roster, Porters Chapel coach Bill Fleming tried to remain an optimist.

Some of the injuries, he pointed out, weren’t as bad as first feared. And when it comes right down to it, only three games on the schedule really matter anyway. The bad part is, one of them comes this week.

PCA, which has had nearly every player in uniform either sick or injured at some point in the first three weeks of the season, hosts University Christian on Friday. It’s one of only three District 5-A games on the Eagles’ schedule, and will go a long way in determining whether they extend their run of playoff appearances to six.

“We know our season starts this week. If we win Friday we’re in the driver’s seat to be district champions,” Fleming said.

The Eagles will have to do it without two of their top players. Jay Wiley, their top rusher and tackler, suffered a leg injury in last week’s 47-8 loss to River Oaks. Although the injury isn’t as bad as first thought — it was a shin splint, not a torn ligament — Wiley will not play on Friday. Fleming hopes to have him back next week against Trinity.

Tight end Reed Gordon, who aggravated an ankle injury against River Oaks, also will not play on Friday.

“We were truly blessed. Jay is going to be just fine. He’ll be back next week,” Fleming said. “He’d probably be good this week, but there’s no way we’re going to take a chance on getting him hurt any worse.”

Other injuries and the flu have ravaged PCA’s squad. At one point, Fleming only half-jokingly said he had four extra players ready to go last week. It made for a long night against a strong River Oaks team. PCA was held to less than 200 yards of offense as its players dropped like flies.

In a weird way, though, the rash of injuries may help PCA in the long run with so many backups  like running back Kruz Federick and quarterback Gray Hales seeing time. Federick has three touchdowns, including two vs. Prairie View.

*

Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com