[10/8/04]Porters Chapel Academy got the homecoming win every school craves on Thursday.

Grawood, PCA’s opponent for tonight’s game, was suspended from play by the Mississippi Private School Association for an on-field incident during last week’s game. The decision, which was handed down Thursday afternoon, gives PCA a forfeit win and improves its record to 7-1.

“We’re going to try to put a positive spin on it,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “We’re going to use it as a time to rest and get our legs back underneath us, and we’ll shift focus to Veritas next week.”

PCA’s homecoming also will shift its focus. A downtown parade scheduled for this afternoon has been postponed, and will now take place at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 15. The homecoming court will be presented before next week’s home finale against Veritas, and the school’s band night will be moved from pregame to halftime.

“Because we knew on Monday that the possibility existed (for cancellation), some thought had already gone into forming a contingency plan,” PCA headmaster Gwen Reiber said. “It’s a tribute to the faculty and staff that in two hours time every preparation that needed to be made has been made.”

Grawood’s coach, Eric Clark, pulled his team off the field during last week’s game against Claiborne a violation of MPSA rules.

Reiber said she was informed of the decision to suspend Grawood minutes after it was made on Thursday.

“I was really surprised,” Reiber said. “We knew it was a possibility, but we had been told suspension would be a last resort.”

The decision gave Wright and the Eagles an unexpected, but welcome night off.

“It’s a little difficult, but we’re going to do the very best we can to take it in stride,” Wright said. “We’re disappointed we’re not playing, but we’ve just got to move on and start thinking about Veritas.”