The Charlestown High School Pirate Football program will begin its 45th season this Friday, on the road, against the Madison Cubs.  The game will mark the end of the 34 year series with Madison; as next season statewide and conference schedule realignment will make room for Scottsburg to play varsity football.  Charlestown leads the all time series with Madison 20-13, including eight of the past ten annual meetings.  Friday’s kick-off at Madison is scheduled for 7:00 pm; and will be broadcasted live by Pirate Pride Sports Broadcasting beginning at 6:30 pm on www.CPPSB.com or on the FREE CPPSB mobile app.  This school year marks the 9th consecutive year of Pirate and Lady Pirate Athletics broadcasting by CPPSB.

The Pirate Junior Varsity game versus Madison, originally scheduled for Monday, August 22nd; has been moved to Saturday morning August 20th, AT MADISON with a 10:00 am kick-off.  The is to alllow for field rehabilitation to be completed at Charlestown HS’ Dutch Reis Field.

Charlestown Pirate Football will be recognizing current football school record holders on the evening of Friday, August 26^th; during the varsity home football game hosting MSC rival Brownstown.  Pirate Football school record holder honorees attending should sign in at the Dutch Reis Field pass gate and meet in the east end zone (closest the parking lot) prior to halftime.  The recognition ceremony will take place during halftime of the game.

Pirate Nation, if you know any of the Pirate Football School Record holders shown at www.PiratePride.BLUE/Football-Recordbook; please contact them, congratulate them, and encourage their attendance Friday evening, August 26th.

Due to on-going field reconditioning efforts at Charlestown High School’s Dutch Reis Field, the Annual Blue-White Scrimmage has been CANCELED this season and the annual August 12th scrimmage with Floyd Central has been moved to Floyd Central High School with a 6:00 pm start time.  Tentatively, and also as a result of field reconditioning, the Monday, August 22nd JV football game versus Madison is being moved to Madison HS.  For more information about Pirate Football, go to www.PiratePride.BLUE/Football.

Charlestown Pirate Football solidified their offensive groove Friday night in the Bone Yard, hosting #2 Heritage Hills (8-2) in the Class 3A Sectional #31 opener.  Despite unorganized officiating, the Pirates fought through ten penalties and a couple bouts of cramps to rally from a 24-7 third quarter deficit to edge Heritage Hills 39-37.  The win not only advances the Pirates (8-2) to Friday’s Sectional Semi-Final against #15 Brownstown; but it also ended the pesky post season success the Patriots (4-1) have had over Charlestown.  During the pre-game conversation with CPPSB.com, Coach Hawkins revealed a game plan built around pounding it away on the ground; which Coach and the Pirates executed to a such a degree that plain worn out the famously disciplined perennial power from just west of Santa Claus, Indiana.  While the Pirate offense put the Patriots on their heals midway through the third quarter, Coach Brafford and the Pirate Defense provided the necessary stops and disruptions to allow the Pirates to rally to a 31-31 tie with 7:04 remaining in the game.  The Pirate offense out-rushed the visitors 475 to 217; holding their multi-purpose Senior standout Kenton Crews to just 74 yards.  Charlestown saw three players rush for more than a hundred yards in the game.  Junior Antonyo Gaddie, named the Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMC and Coyle Nissan Offensive Player of the Game, finished the contest with 171 ground yards on 29 carries and three scores.  Junior QB Brendan Lawler finished with 158 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown, while also adding 45 yards of passing and another touchdown to Junior Garrett Woods on two of four tosses.  Senior Tate Boley added 115 yards on just seven carries.  Senior Quinton Fetz was named the Coyle Chevy, Buick, GMC and Coyle Nissan Defensive Player of the Game after leading the Pirates with five solo tackles and providing the motivation the defensive line needed while compromising the Patriot offensive plan.  The Pirates took a 39-31 lead with 1:35 remaining before Heritage Hills answered three plays later.  The difference at the end of the game being a missed conversion pass with 1:04 left which would have likely forced overtime.  The Pirates, for the second straight year, will host conference rival Brownstown (8-2) in Friday’s Sectional semi-final.  The Braves dispatched Salem 43-18 Friday night.  Listen to the archived broadcast of Friday’s game at www.CPPSB.com.

Don’t miss your chance this Friday to pick up your favorite Charlestown Football T-Shirt or Hat to support the football team during their state play-off run. There will be cotton t-shirts for $5.00, climate control shirts for $10.00, blankets $20.00, spirit towels $5.00, and ball caps for $20.00. Sizes are available from adult small through adult 4X while supplies last. There is a limited supply of youth large t-shirts and youth large hoodies. The t-shirts are $5.00 and the youth hoodies are $20.00 while supplies last.

Pirate Football merchandise will be available from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the corner of Park St and HWY 3 Friday October 23rd.  Sales are being held Friday afternoon due to the IHSAA rule of no spirit item sales on school property during state playoff games. 100% of all proceeds go directly to supporting the football team during the 2015 State Playoffs.

The IHSAA conducted its blind draw to determine the Sectional first round match-ups in the annual Indiana HS Football State Tournament Sunday evening.  The Charlestown Pirates (6-2) will host Heritage Hills (7-1) in the lower bracket, to open Class 3A Sectional #30 play on Friday, October 23rd at 8:00 PM (EDT).  The remaining Sectional #30 pairings include Corydon at Brown County and North Harrison at Southridge in the upper half of the bracket; and in the lower half of the bracket, Salem at Brownstown.

For more information on the State Class 3A Football Tournament CLICK HERE; or for more information Pirate Football, go to www.PiratePride.BLUE/Football.  For complete live coverage of Pirate Football in the 2015 State Tourney, follow Charlestown Pirate Pride Sports on Twitter at @CPPSB.