Players, coach picked for MAIS All-Star game

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 29, 2010

NATCHEZ — When the MAIS South All-Star team takes the field at Mississippi College on Friday afternoon, it will have a distinct Miss-Lou feel.

Six area players were selected to play for the South team in the MAIS All-Star Game, which will take place at Mississippi College in Clinton on Friday. Kickoff will be at 4 p.m.

Adams County Christian head coach Paul Hayles will also be one of the coaches for the South team.

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Trinity Episcopal has three players selected to the team in quarterback and linebacker Givonni Dent, running back and defensive back Kent King and offensive and defensive lineman Zach Marshall.

ACCS linebacker Zack Day was also selected to the team as were Centreville players Devin Hughes and Jason Doughty.

Trinity head coach David King was pleased with the three selections, but said the Saints had even more players who could have made the team as well.

“You can only have so many players on that team, and we had a couple of other seniors who could have gotten on the team,” King said. “We had such a special team we could have had five or six all stars. But all the guys are proud of the three that made it, as am I.”

While King and Dent played high-profile positions and received many accolades during the season, Marshall didn’t get as much publicity on the offensive line.

But King said he was just as integral to the Saints’ success this season.

“Zach is one of the unsung heroes on the team,” King said. “Zach was a really great run blocker. He had as many pancake blocks this year as anybody in our league. He is so strong and physical. He was really good at his position throughout his career.”

Another player who excelled at his position was Day, who recorded double digit tackles almost every game, including four games in which he had 20 or more tackles.

“Zack had an outstanding year,” Hayles said of his senior linebacker. “When you have four games where you have 20-plus tackles, that says so much in itself.

“He was also our communicator on the field. All the calls filtered through him. And when you can coordinate the defensive line and the defense behind you and still play the way he played, that’s quite an accomplishment.”

Hayles was also honored to be selected as one of the coaches for the South team.

“I was very pleased (to be chosen)” Hayles said. “It is quite an honor. I’m looking forward to it.”

Hayles said it will be fun to coach a team with the amount of talent the South All-Star team will have, but it’s not as easy as it might sound.

“We’ve got to find some chemistry very quickly,” Hayles said. “The talent is there. We’re going to have three days of two-a-days, have a luncheon and play the game.”

But no matter whether the South team wins or loses, the week is all about fun and camaraderie, Hayles said.

“Hopefully we’ll have a great time, everybody will stay healthy and will have a great experience,” Hayles said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”