First, some good news.

Porter’s Chapel Academy quarterback Jase Jung is recovering and expected to be OK after he suffered an apparent neck injury and was taken from the field in an ambulance during last week’s game against Columbus Christian.

“He’s OK, just banged up and sore. They didn’t say it was any one thing. They just said X-Rays were negative,” PCA head coach Blake Purvis said. “He’s just banged up and sore right now, but nothing serious. I haven’t heard that it was a stinger or anything like that, just that everything came back negative and he was going to be all right.”

Now, to get down to business.

The Eagles (5-4) head south to Woodville to face Wilkinson County Christian Academy (6-2) this Friday night, for a game that’s the calm before the storm.

PCA’s playoff path will be set next week when it hosts Prairie View (8-1) for the MAIS District 3-2A championship. This Friday’s match-up is more about shoring up its wild card position that is Plan B, and regaining some momentum following last week’s loss.

PCA will likely be the No. 4 seed in the Class 2A playoff bracket if it beats Prairie View and the No. 8 seed if it loses that game, regardless of what happens against WCCA.

“We’ve got to take advantage of every day from here on out. The road does not get any easier each week,” Purvis said. “WCCA is a great opponent. They get everybody back and are a much more experienced and better team, and of course you get the same thing with Prairie View the following week and then you get into the playoffs. Nothing gets easier from here on out.”

Although Jung is not expected to have any long-term effects from his scary injury, Purvis said his status for Friday’s game is uncertain.

Before he left early in the fourth quarter, Jung rushed for 409 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries in the 74-52 loss to Columbus Christian. He has 2,675 yards and 35 touchdowns this season, which are both Warren County records. He has also set the county’s career yardage record.

PCA’s fortunes would certainly improve with Jung in the lineup, but Purvis said last week’s game showed it is more than just him. The Eagles cut a 58-40 deficit to one score after Jung was injured and had the ball with a chance to tie it. A turnover on downs deep in their own end and a fumble that Columbus Christian recovered in the end zone sealed it up.

Auston Moore replaced Jung as the wildcat quarterback and rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns on only seven carries.

“We try to preach to the guys all the time, don’t give up and don’t quit. You’ll always have a chance,” Purvis said. “Those guys stepped up. Auston did a good job the other night stepping in there and shouldering the load. Everybody kept their focus after all that went down. They fought and crawled and gave us a chance at the end. We just couldn’t quite finish it.”

FRIDAY’S AREA GAMES
All games start at 7 p.m.
Porter’s Chapel at Wilkinson County Christian (Radio: 104.5 FM)
Warren Central at Vicksburg (Radio: 105.5/107.7 FM)
Manchester at St. Aloysius (Radio: 101.3 FM)
River Oaks at Tallulah Academy
Port Gibson at Leflore County