NATCHEZ — Despite hosting a Wingfield team that is struggling at 1-7 this season, 0-4 in district play, Natchez head coach Henry Garner said it hasn’t been hard for his team to get up for the game.

“After last Friday night, we have to get up,” Garner said, referring to the Bulldogs’ 52-0 loss to Wayne County. “The thing with Wingfield is their record shows one thing, but they are playing better than that.”

Wingfield’s lone win of the season came in Week 1, and the Falcons are currently enduring a seven-game losing streak. However, Garner was quick to assure the Falcons won’t just roll over.

“The only game they haven’t scored this year was against Provine,” Garner said. “And this is the same Wingfield team that put up 33 points against Wayne County, who blanked us. They can play. This time of year, it is hard to look at records, because this last half of the district season, everybody is playing to earn a spot in the playoffs or for a respectable finish in the district. It is the toughest part of the season and everybody is playing extra hard.”

Garner spotlighted Wingfield quarterback La’Andre Thomas as the key player the Bulldogs will have to watch out for.

“They do most of their running with the quarterback,” Garner said. “He is their strength. He is quick and reads the field well. And most of their pass patterns are deep. They like to go for the kill.”

Thomas has racked up 905 passing yards and 530 rushing yards so far this season.

“If you contain him, so goes the offense, so we are concentrating on stopping him,” Garner said.

Natchez will also have the services of quarterback Chris Scott for the full game after the sophomore served a suspension against Wayne County.

“It should be a big difference,” Garner said. “He’s come out ready to play and has a whole lot of confidence. It is almost like he has a chip on his shoulder because he felt like he let the other kids down. He is ready to go. I think he’ll have a big night.”

Natchez High and Wingfield are scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.