Homecoming games are supposed to be fun and festive affairs, with a cupcake opponent for the home team to beat up on to the delight of everyone there.

So why, many have asked, did Warren Central schedule Madison Central — the one team that never seems to provide that experience — this time around?

“It just fell into a good time for us,” head coach Josh Morgan said with a laugh. “We didn’t have much to pick from. It was either this or Neshoba (Central), and we’d much rather have it in a non-district game.”

The Vikings (2-2) and Madison Central (3-1) will renew their rivalry Friday at 7 p.m. in, yes, Warren Central’s homecoming game. It’s a series that’s been anything but boring, with nine of the last 11 meetings decided by one score and most of those coming down to the final few plays.

Warren Central has won the last two, in 2020 and 2023, marking the first time it’s beaten the Jaguars twice in a row since doing it four consecutive times from 2002-05.

They played every year from 1995 to 2020, when they were in the same region, took a two-year break because of MHSAA realignment, and resumed the series in 2023. Morgan said being region rivals and playing for high stakes was only part of what has made it such a competitive and intense series.

“Identity-wise, we’re a lot alike. It starts there,” Morgan said. “We’ve got a lot of respect for them. They’re going to be physical and well-coached, with really good special teams, tough on defense and a big-time ground attack on offense. If you look at it, it kind of simulates what our identity is as well. It usually is some pretty good ballgames. I hope we can keep that going and come out on the right end.”

Besides beating a quality opponent, the Vikings are trying to reach the halfway point of the season on a positive bounce. They have an open date next week and then begin the Region 2-6A schedule Oct. 11 at Ridgeland.

Warren Central has split its first two games, with impressive victories over Pearl and Germantown bookended by disappointing losses to Clinton and Brandon. All four games have exposed the Vikings to different types of situations, which Morgan said was as important as winning or losing as they head into the region schedule and playoffs beyond that.

“We’ve been in situations, and any experience that you get is going to make you better. There’s nothing that you haven’t seen, nothing that you haven’t experienced, and the game of football is so situational,” Morgan said. “We try to be as prepared as we can but there are some things we need to learn from. There have been several situations we’ve learned from and grown from, and that’s what this time of year is all about.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Madison Central at Warren Central (Radio: 105.5 FM)
Porter’s Chapel at Tensas Academy (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Central Hinds at St. Aloysius (Radio: 101.3 FM)
Vicksburg at Yazoo City (Radio: 107.7 FM)
Prairie View Academy at Tallulah Academy
Port Gibson at Crystal Springs