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After an investigation from the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA), in connection to the brawl on the field between Pike County and Headland High Schools last week, Pike County will resume football operations beginning Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Headland’s football program was also reinstated on Monday. PCHS head Coach Mark Hurt confirmed that Pike County will begin practicing Tuesday afternoon and will play Friday night’s Class 3A, Region 2 game against New Brockton as scheduled but the Bulldogs will look different as a number of players will be suspended from the game.

“We’re going to be shorthanded this week, it just depends on who we have moving forward,” Hurt said. “We’ll definitely be shorthanded and we just have to figure out how to win the ballgame.”

The Bulldogs now attempt to shift their attention to this Friday’s game with New Brockton High School.

“They’ve been pretty solid so far,” Hurt said of New Brockton. “They’re a much improved team. They have a good group of receivers, a good running back and a good quarterback.”

New Brockton started the season off with a loss to rival Elba but knocked off Opp 19-14 in week two before dropping three straight losses to Providence Christian, Daleville and Houston Academy. The Gamecocks have been outscored 68-12 in the past two matchups, but are coming off a bye week.

Pike County and New Brockton have met on the gridiron just one time, a 38-0 Bulldog win last season. This is New Brockton’s fourth year as a part of Class 3A.

Pike County was already dealing with some injuries over the past two weeks and now will be without more players due to suspensions. So, Hurt is looking to simplify things on the field.

“I just want to see my guys play hard and just figure out how to win the ball game,” Hurt said. “We’ll be shorthanded, like I said, and we won’t have a whole lot of depth. So, we have to figure out how to manage the game and learn our assignments and simplify the game plan and just go out and play hard.”

Pike County hosts New Brockton at 7 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 6.