The Natchitoches Central Chiefs''s recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their fifth straight loss. They were just a hair shy of victory and fell 36-35 to Haughton. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Natchitoches Central in their matchups with Haughton: they've now lost five in a row.
When it comes to explaining why Natchitoches Central lost, one person who can't be blamed is Zion Thompson. Despite the final result, he rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.8 yards per carry. Owen Smith was another key contributor, throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns while completing 82.4% of his passes.
Natchitoches Central's loss was their fourth straight at home, which dropped their overall record down to 2-7. Admittedly, the team was facing some tough opposition over that stretch, including 8-1 Captain Shreve and 8-1 Airline (their opponents had an average overall winning percentage of 75% over those games). As for Haughton, their win bumped their record up to 4-5.
Natchitoches Central will head out on the road to face off against Byrd at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Haughton, they will look to defend their home field on Friday against Captain Shreve at 7:00 p.m. Captain Shreve is coming into the contest hot, having won their last seven games.
