The Natchez Democrat

Really, will numbers matter that much tonight? Trinity Episcopal and Adams Christian square off the first time in a regular season game in years tonight at Trinity, and both sides have made issue of the numbers games &045; Adams Christian will suit up 32 players to Trinity’s 13.

But if you’re looking at a final score along those lines, you may be wrong. In the latest edition of this crosstown showdown, count on everyone playing hard to the very end and not leaving the game due to an injury unless it’s perhaps on a stretcher.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Trinity.

&uot;I don’t think we’ve played since 1993,&uot; AC head coach Keith Walters said. &uot;I just think it’s a great thing the schools are playing again. The fact of the matter is they’re 1-0 and we’re 0-1. It’s going to be a battle. I don’t think we’ll play anybody all year who will play harder than Trinity. We hope to be ready to play.&uot;

The Saints, meanwhile, enter the game with plenty of caution with only 13 players after two quit prior to last week’s win over Amite School Center. It is the latest installment of the rivalry that’s was owned by Adams Christian &045; the bigger school of the two &045; in football, basketball and baseball last season, and the Saints are taking a side of caution.

&uot;We have 13 warriors, and they have given me everything they have every day,&uot; said Trinity head coach David King, a graduate of Adams Christian who played for Walters. &uot;Honestly, it’s the best ACCS team I’ve seen since I’ve been coaching. I just think they’ve got a chance to go pretty far. We’ve got 13 warriors, and they’re going to lay it all on the line.&uot;

The Saints do come in with the better record after their 34-0 win over Amite School Center last week. On the other side the Rebels dropped that 27-14 decision to Centreville Academy and suffered a significant amount of injuries as the result.

Both teams have specific areas of their game they’re working on &045; Trinity, offense; ACCS, defense. It’s only Week 2, but for pre-district games, this is as big as it gets.

&uot;We’ve just got to get focused, really,&uot; Trinity fullback Cap White said. &uot;We really haven’t talked about it. We made good progress (last week). We’ll see what happens. You always want to beat your friends, and it’s a game everybody wants to win.&uot;

The Rebels have struggled on defense, and now they have the task of trying to bottle up Trinity sophomore back Stevan Ridlely. The defense had its moments last week but at times struggled to wrap up on tackles, something that can’t happen tonight.

The Rebels will be likely play tonight without Ray Simpson (knee), Patrick Womack (possibly fractured foot), Cole Bradford (knee), Josh Jones (quad) and Robert Cummings (quad). Others questionable are Lee Dellinger (knee) and Timmy Foster (hamstring).

&uot;We haven’t practiced as well as we’d like, but we say that every week,&uot; Walters said. &uot;I guess they can’t please me. I told the players before the season I thought three of the better backs we’ll see all year would be in the first three weeks. Ridley is the real deal. We’re going to have to tackle him.

&uot;White is very good, and (Zach) Rogel does a good job at quarterback. And (Alex) Allain is a darn good offensive lineman.&uot;

But the Saints are just as leery of what Adams Christian can do on offense, which makes you think the contest could be a high-scoring affair. The Rebels moved the ball efficiently last week against Centreville but had turnovers at the wrong times &045; once at the 1-yard line and a pass picked off in the end zone.

&uot;It’s just going to be tough to match them,&uot; King said. &uot;I don’t want our fans to get caught up in the scoreboard as far as how good we play. There’s so much talent on that ACCS team. I don’t see any weaknesses. (Dustin) Case, Foster and Simpson are as good as I’ve seen in double-A.&uot;

The Saints, meanwhile, will try and stick with it Friday and play as hard as possible. That’s been their theme so far this season and will be as they continue through a tough double-A schedule with a less amount of players than many single-A squads.

&uot;I’ve been proud of how these warriors,&uot; King said. &uot;I should be arrested for what I’ve put this group through.&uot;