With no playoff hopes left, the Warren Central Vikings will make the long trip to Grenada to close out a disappointing season.

At least the Vikings (3-6, 2-4 Region 2-5A) have been a good road team. They’ve won three out of the four previous road games. Viking Stadium, however, was a place of horrors as the Vikings went 0-5.

The losses included last week’s 18-9 decision to Provine that finished off the Vikings’ playoff hopes. It was the third time this season — and second in a row — they have lost a fourth quarter lead.

Clinton scored two touchdowns in a 14-second span midway through the fourth quarter two weeks ago and won 17-9. Provine took the lead on a 67-yard touchdown run by Aaron McClinton with 10 minutes left, then added a late insurance touchdown. WC could have been in the playoffs had it won either game, but the back-to-back losses dropped them into a three-way tie for fourth place in the region that it has no chance of winning.

“The hardest thing has been the way we lost those games at home,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said. “We played an excellent Madison Central team hard into the fourth quarter. We played Clinton the same way and we’re right there against Northwest Rankin. The kids have been playing hard and not getting much for their effort. We just have to figure out a way not to hurt ourselves late in games.”

Grenada could be a nice send off the for the Vikings’ season. The Chargers are 1-9 and have lost to a one-win Greenville-Weston squad.

“Grenada went through a coaching change and it’s been tough on them. But we can’t go in there and just show up and expect we’d win. Our kids have continued to work hard and I know our coaching staff has done everything it can to put these kids in position to win,” Brewer said.

Grenada will be the last game for WC senior quarterback Keaton Sanders and running back Joel Forbes, both three-year starters. Brewer was especially appreciative of Sanders’ efforts.

“That kid has given his entire heart to this team. No one has played harder. He gets beat up every game, and keeps getting up and going back out there,” Brewer said.

Sanders leads the offense, having completed 64 of 145 passes for 847 yards. Senior Cordell Valentine leads Warren County in receiving with 38 catches for 515 yards and Forbes enters his final game with 671 yards rushing.

Zack Carter, one of five sophomores starting on the WC defense, leads the club with 59 tackles. Senior Larry Davis leads the area in interceptions with four.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.