The ACCS Rebels are knockout artists.

In ACCS’ seven wins (not counting the forfeit win against Prentiss Christian), the Rebels have won by an average margin of 41 points. And trust me, it could be a lot worse if ACCS head coach David King wasn’t preventing his team from scoring in the fourth quarter.

The 7-1 Rebels have only had one close game this season, and that was a 56-44 loss to MAIS AA powerhouse Centreville.

Despite ACCS’ record and unbelievably talented team, the sound barrier remains unbroken.

The hype is surprisingly lacking, and there’s a reason for that. You see, we unfortunately got the short end of the stick when it comes ACCS football, Miss-Lou.

Up until Friday night, the Rebels had only two, well, let’s make that one home game.

ACCS was scheduled to play four home games this season, but the weather altered the playing field for ACCS’ contest against Central Private, leaving us with really only three chances to see the Rebels play full-length games at home.

That’s a shame considering the Rebels are one of the most talented teams in the area, but like a prized fight with a long build, ACCS made its long awaited return to Natchez last Friday night.

The Rebels’ treated the playing surface like a boxing ring and delivered a first-round knockout.

I’m talking Mike Tyson in his glory days first round KO.

King hit Amite School Center with a 1-2-3-4-5 combination that had Amite falling over like they were rocked on Bourbon Street.

First, it was Carlos Woods and Parker Rymer connecting on a 41-yard touchdown pass. Then, Lester Wells scored and left his imprint on the game with some staggering jukes, setting the table for Torrey Smith to level Amite School Center with a nice one-two — the first shot being a 19-yard touchdown run and the second being an interception that he would have returned for a touchdown had the referee not blown his whistle. And, of course, you already know Trey Fleming was high-stepping his way through the defensive backfield, being the talented prospect he is.

By the time it was 27-0 in the first quarter, I had my mind on Centreville.

Playing matchmaker in my mind like so many fight fans tend to do during a one-sided fight, I kept envisioning an ACCS/Centreville rematch that I would take the Rebels in.

The reason ACCS can compete with Centreville’s dominant club is King’s championship resume and his luxury of getting to scheme around the best talent in MAIS AA.

The missing ingredient was the maturity aspect, but I think King may have found the missing link simply by his postgame comments.

“I’m more than happy with the way we acted (tonight)… I think we’re ready for the push to get in there and make a run at this thing,” he told me.

Now, I don’t want to put words in King’s mouth, and he certainly didn’t say this, but to me that sounded like, “We’re ready for that Centreville rematch deep in the playoffs. My boys are hungry, and if anybody can take them down, we can.”

It’s hard to beat a great team twice, and maybe that loss to Centreville earlier this season was the best thing to happen to King and his Rebels.

The focus is there, the talent is the best in that class, and now, we just need these two teams to cross paths again.

Centreville is the undefeated, undisputed “king” of MAIS AA, but ACCS is coming for that title. Bet your bottom dollar, ACCS has much more than a puncher’s chance.