This time of year, thousands of football fans are busy participating in various fantasy football league drafts across the United States.

A pair of former Pearl River Central High school players recently held a draft of their own, but there’s nothing make belive about what Eli Ouder and Torey Tarter have in mind for their players.

No, Ouder and Tarter’s teams won’t compete on computer screens, they will decide the outcome of their game on the green grass of a real football field.

Ouder and Tarter, with the blessing of the PRC administration, have coordinated the first PRC alumni game, which is set for Saturday night around 7:30 p.m., at the PRC football stadium.

The game will take place in conjucntion with the annual Meet the Blue Devils Night, which will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Ouder and Tarter both played prep ball at PRC in the mid-90’s with new Blue Devil head coach Jeremy Weir, and Weir’s arrival was one of the factors in deciding to play the game.

“It was really a two fold purpose,” Ouder, who works for NASA, said. “Football had a profound impact on all of us at PRC, and we had talked for years about wanting to give it another try. And also, with Jeremy being a former Blue Devil and coaching there now, we want to use this game as a way to get the community involved with the team and get people involved with the Blue Devil program again.”

Once Ouder and Tarter got things rolling, they quickly realized how much interest there was for a game of this kind.

“We’ve had over 70 people involved, and that’s just players,” Tarter said. “Now, there are cheerleaders who will be involved as well as the band, all alumni of the school.”

Practice for the game began a few weeks ago, and at this point over 50 players are set to participate.

Ouder and Tarter will serve as player coaches for the game, which will be a regulation high school game with 12 minute quarters, special teams play and the works.

The guys sat down a few weeks back and simply split the team up using the old backyard style selection process.

“It was literally, I got this guy and you get this one,” Ouder added.

“We think it’ll be pretty even,” Tarter said.

Some impressive names from PRC’s past are slated to see action. Mark Montgomery, Raphale Tillman, Ty Trahan and David Mcnease ar all PRC alumni that went on to to have stellar college football careers, and are will play Saturday as well as Bobby Thaxton.

Admission is $5 per person.

“It’s defeinitely got the competitive juices flowing, and there’s been some trash talking at practice’ Ouder concluded. “This is the real thing, not fantasy football. If everything goes well, we hope to make it an annual event.”