NATCHEZ — There is no avoiding the talk now — Cathedral is a contender.

After blowing out Bogue Chitto 52-17 Friday, the Green Wave firmly planted themselves among the best in Class 1A.

“You try not to get the big head, but it is hard not to,” said Cathedral running back Christian Jenkins. “It is fun while it lasts.”

The Green Wave will most likely face their toughest test of their young season in two weeks against Resurrection, and head coach Ron Rushing is trying to make sure that is the only thing on the mind of his team.

“Resurrection is all we are worried about right now,” Rushing said. “We are going to take it one game at a time. We know we’ve got a good team, but we know we’ve got to get better. We’re just going to go one game at a time.”

But the kids are aware that there are plenty of eyes on them.

“You can either take it as, you’ve got a target on your back and you will crumble and fold,” Jenkins said. “Or you can take it and try to wear that jersey with number one on it and wear it out.”

With Cathedral lighting up the scoreboard early and often, it has been a balancing act for Rushing with how much some of his kids play.

“They come to work everyday,” Rushing said. “Games like that are hard, but everybody on the team comes to practice and everybody deserves to get in the ballgame and play. We’re trying to get some younger guys ready.”

Although some grow frustrated with only being able to play a half or so, others find it fun to watch the younger guys get a shot.

“I love watching these younger guys get out there and get some action,” said Cathedral quarterback Wyatt Boothe. “They practice hard all week and a lot of times they don’t get to go in there. But when they do, I love to watch them.”

And players also understand that it needs to be done if Cathedral wants to continue being a power in 1A.

“We realize what coach is doing,” said Cathedral running back Quinton Logan. “He is trying to get the team ready for the next few years and to get the players experience.”

Natchez vs. Ferriday

Natchez High School head coach Melvin Pete craves a complete performance.

More specifically, Pete wants to see his team showcase a killer instinct.

“We can’t seem to put teams away,” Pete said.

Pete’s comment derives from his team’s late performances against Jefferson County and Ferriday.

Up 22-12 against Jefferson County and up 28-12 against Ferriday at halftime, the Bulldogs allowed both teams to provide late scores, despite controlling the game with their athleticism and depth.

“We’re having a lot of fun with our success, but it’s not fun when we don’t finish the game,” Pete said.

Pete knows it’s crucial for his team to put together a complete product with games against Warren Central and Wayne County on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Ferriday’s Cleothis Cummings attributed fatigue to his team’s performance in the loss.

Playing their first game of the season, Cummings said cramps and attrition took its toll on his Trojans, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t serve as a valid excuse for the loss.

“I hate to use it as an excuse, but we have to get acclimated to playing games,” Cummings said. “But wanting to win will overcome fatigue. We executed when we needed to, but we didn’t finish quarters. That’s the thing.”

Cummings hopes his team can rebound quickly, as Ferriday turns its attention to Block Friday. The Bears nearly defeated Class 1A powerhouse Ouachita Christian in a 48-40 loss.