Football Game Preview: Pine Tree Pirates vs. Henderson Lions

The Pine Tree Pirates will head out to take on the Henderson Lions at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Pine Tree took a loss when they played away from home back in September, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed last Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Mabank 64-8. The game marked the Pirates' most dominant win of the season.

Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Henderson faced off against Mabank on Friday. The Lions claimed a resounding 61-20 victory over the Panthers. Considering the Lions have won five matchups by more than 35 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Pine Tree better keep an eye on Jesstin Starling. He was instrumental in Henderson's win, rushing for 189 yards and four touchdowns on only 13 carries. Starling's longest rush was for an impressive 56 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total.

Henderson pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 59.0 points over those games. As for Pine Tree, the win got them back to even at 3-3.

Pine Tree was able to grind out a solid victory over Henderson in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, winning 35-25. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Starling, who rushed for 190 yards and one score. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will the Pirates still be able to contain Starling? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.