Union Pines closes its 2011 pigskin campaign with a 3-A Cape Fear Valley tilt tonight in Fayetteville against the Douglas Byrd Eagles at 7:30 p.m.

When describing the Vikings’ chances for victory in their final football game of the season, slim would be an understatement — at least it certainly would when examining the two teams’ recent history and records.

At 10-0 overall and 5-0 in conference play, the Eagles enter the contest needing a win to secure their first CFVC championship since joining the league at the start of the 2009 season. In their five league games, they have outscored opponents by a combined margin of 179-44, including 35-0 and 44-0 shutouts against Western Harnett and Westover, respectively.

Last week, Byrd blasted conference foe Southern Lee 63-14. In contrast, the Vikings fell 57-25 to Southern two weeks ago, before losing 42-7 last week in a nonconference tilt against 2-A Northwood. Union Pines lost 40-14 to Westover and 42-12 to Western Harnett.

At 2-8 overall and 0-5 in the CFVC, Union Pines has been outscored to the tune of 239-73 in league play this season. The Vikes are currently riding a 12-game losing streak in the league, and are 2-22 over their past four CFVC seasons.

Byrd, now wrapping up its third CFVC campaign since dropping down to a 3-A classification, carries a combined conference record of 13-4 into tonight’s tilt. Over that stretch, the Eagles have qualified for the playoffs, twice falling in second-round action.

In 2008, they made it all the way to the 4-A state title game before falling 28-7 to 71st in the championship.

Union Pines’ last trip to the postseason was back in 2007, when the Vikes finished 7-5 after a 28-0 loss to Rocky Mount in the opening round of the state 3-A playoffs. That same season marked the last time the Eagles failed to qualify for postseason play.

Head coach Russell Stone’s two-pronged Eagle offense is led by Breon Davis. The junior quarterback has passed for 1,195 yards and 13 touchdowns, with a completion percentage just shy of 50. He has also amassed 620 yards on the ground and rushed for 16 touchdowns.

Davis’ rushing total is third best on the team. Senior running back Lorenzo Pooler leads the Eagles in rushing, with 1191 yards on 119 carries and 13 touchdowns. Sporting an average of 8.57 yards per carry, junior Garry Lewis is another potent weapon out of the backfield for Byrd, having gained 711 yards with 10 rushing scores this season.

Davis’ receiving crops is a versatile one, as five different players enter tonight’s game with 10 or more receptions on the year. For the season, Byrd is averaging 39.3 points per outing. Meanwhile, the Eagle defense is averaging 4.5 sacks per game, and has totaled 13 fumble recoveries and 12 interceptions on the season.

As a unit, they are holding opponents to an average of 12.9 points for the year, and an even more stingy 8.8 points per outing in CFVC competition.

The Vikings counter with a 17.1 scoring average on the season, including a 14.6 mark in league play.

Defensively, Union Pines has allowed 40 or more points in seven of its 10 games this season. Opponents are averaging 39.6 points against the Vikes on the year, while CFVC foes are scoring at a 47.6-points-per-game clip.