NATCHEZ — If you coach high school football long enough, you’re going to “get your butt kicked by friends” and you’re going to win some games against them.

That’s the perspective of (7-0) Adams County Christian School head coach David King and (6-1) Cathedral head coach Ron Rushing, who will face each other for the second time as opposing head coaches. The first time the two coaches competed against each other was in 2012, when King accepted the ACCS head coaching job and began the rebuilding process. Tonight just so happens to feature two teams that played for a state championship a year ago, and each are a combined 13-1.

“I’m excited about the game, but it’s hard when you play against your friends,” Rushing said. “He’s going to want to beat me as bad as I want to beat him. We’re competitors.”

Each competitor has reached the top of the mountain. King has won four state championships with Trinity and Rushing won his first state championship with the Green Wave last season.

The two have known each other since their high school playing days at ACCS. When King was a senior, Rushing was an eighth grader. After King accepted the coaching position at Trinity Episcopal Day School in 1997, Rushing joined his staff.

“Those were exciting days because that was when most people were still running the Wing T and power stuff,” King said. “When I was younger, I started out as an innovator. I was one of the first guys doing the crazy spread stuff, and Ron was right there with me. We shared that.”

Rushing, whose offense at Cathedral has evolved with various spread offenses over the years, remembered King as a risk taker in King’s late 20s and early 30s.

“David has always been on the cutting edge of doing something new,” Rushing said. “He’s a riverboat gambler, you know? I remember sitting on top when I was with him, talking to him on the headphones, and we’d make halftime adjustments together. I really learned a lot about adjustments working with him.”

After a brief stint in the ‘90s with King, Rushing went to coach at other schools before rejoining King in 2007 and 2008 at Trinity, right before Rushing accepted the Cathedral head coaching position.

Rushing said the greatest trait he took from King was structure and developing young athletes.

“He was always so organized, and he believed in the weight room,” Rushing said. “He doesn’t take a day off. He’s always doing something to get that edge.”

Now, both coaches are doing everything they can to get that edge for tonight. Game plans have been formulated and kept tight-lipped. But that doesn’t mean the two have ignored one another.

“Oh we’ve talked every day this week,” Rushing said. “That’s what people don’t understand is we talk every day on the phone. Actually, we laugh at how much other people play up this game.”

King said the extra preparation has been warranted this week. King, who praised Rushing’s ability to break down film, gave credit to Rushing for his “extremely high football IQ,” and if King doesn’t prepare for him, he’ll get his “butt kicked” by his friend.

“Ron and I are competitive, but we understand this is our job,” King said. “We’ve been dreading playing each other to be honest. We’re in a five red-light town in one of the smallest states in the union. And I’m just a small town high school football coach. Games like this don’t change me, and championships don’t change me either. I still don’t have money in the bank, and I still have bills to pay.”

Cathedral and ACCS will battle for first place in the MAIS District 4AAA at 7 p.m. in Bobby Marks Stadium. The winner will have an inside path to getting a No. 1 seed in the playoffs. With everything on the line, with the pride of two cross-town fanbases riding on the outcome, King and Rushing will be at the helm of it all.

“It’s a good thing I’m 46,” King said. “People will make whatever they want of tonight. I’m going to enjoy the moment.”