Swashbucklers Face the Columbus Lions

What might be the most important game of the year for the Louisiana Swashbucklers, the Columbus Lions will be taking on the Bucs in the Smuggler’s Den on Saturday, June 2nd, at 7 p.m. in the Lake Charles Civic Center.  As an added bonus, Tommy and Joe of the "Swamp People" will be on hand as well.

To call this game a showdown is no exaggeration. Louisiana is 4-5 on the season while Columbus is a game ahead at 5-4. A Swashbucklers win will result in a tie for third place with the Lions. This has implications as to who will enter the PIFL postseason with the third seed. A loss to Columbus would put the Bucs at 4-6. It would most likely mean the fourth seed for the Bucs entering the playoffs, but still controlling their own destiny for post season play. Entering this weekend’s games, the Knoxville Nighthawks are 1-8 and the Alabama Hammers are 2-7.

The Swashbucklers and Lions have also been archrivals for several years. The intensity in this game will be high due to the rivalry and postseason implications. Bucs head coach Darnell Lee will once again look to quarterback Freddie Harrison to lead the offense. On May 19th against the Nighthawks,
Harrison had 15 completions out of 26 attempts for 231 yards. He also had four touchdown passes and one interception. On the ground Kendrick Perry hopes to have another outstanding performance. Against the Nighthawks, he ran for 98 yards on 12 carries and scored three times. On the other side of the ball, defensive back Damian Huren had 10.5 tackles and a critical interception against Knoxville quarterback Willie Copeland. For their efforts, Perry was named the league Offensive Player of the Week, while Huren garnered Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The upcoming game will introduce Swashbucklers fans to Malcolm Tatum. He signed with the team recently. He played as a defensive end for the University of Louisville. In his senior year, Tatum had 29 tackles in 12 games. Six of those tackles were for losses. It is hoped Tatum’s presence will bolster the pass rush on defense.

In the other PIFL games scheduled for Saturday, June 2nd, it will be the Albany Panthers vs. Knoxville Nighthawks, and Richmond Raiders vs. Alabama Hammers.