ACCS still struggling to get past gameday mistakes

Published 12:02 am Monday, October 3, 2011

ERIC SHELTON/THE NATCHEZ DEMOCRAT — Centreville’s Cliff Hurst, right, tries to get past ACCS’ Cage Ashley, left, and Shane Pollan during their game at ACCS Friday night.

NATCHEZ — Adams County Christian School’s schedule has done the Rebels no favors, and its latest opponent showed no mercy.

The Rebels, who have already faced MHSAA Class 1A powerhouse Cathedral and MAIS Class AA’s No. 1-ranked team in Trinity Episcopal, played host to Centreville Academy Friday night.

And the Tigers showed why they’re usually in the mix for the MAIS Class AA state championship, as Centreville beat ACCS 49-22.

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ACCS running back Lester Wells was the only highlight for the Rebels on offense, finishing with 124 of the Rebels’ 199 rushing yards. With Wells being more of a speed rusher, ACCS head coach Hunter McKeivier said he was disappointed in his team’s inability to get yards off of power running plays.

“Right now, we’re not very good at downhill running, and that’s been very disappointing to me, since that’s what we did well a couple of weeks ago in our win against Riverdale,” McKeivier said. “We’ve got to get better at that.”

The Rebels sit at 1-6 on the season. McKeivier said he realizes that his team young, but he still expects more from his players.

“We’re youthful, but that’s still no excuse for the mistakes we’ve been making,” McKeivier said.

The Rebels will travel to Simpson Friday.

Trinity Episcopal

Trinity Episcopal’s Tip McKenzie continues to rack up yardage and touchdowns. McKenzie came into Friday’s game against Central Private with 8,389 all-purpose yards and 82 touchdowns in his high school career.

McKenzie added four touchdowns to that total in Friday’s 38-0 win: two on catches of 36 and 89 yards, one on a 3-yard carry and one on a 72-yard punt return. McKenzie finished the night with 34 yards rushing on four carries and two catches for 125 yards.

The Saints (6-1) will host Prairie View Friday night.

Natchez High

Natchez High School managed to edge Terry High School 13-7 Friday night, but head coach Lance Reed said after the game that he wasn’t pleased with his offense’s inability to convert on third downs.

NHS’s only touchdowns came on a 1-yard run by Larry Chatman and a blocked punt by Charles Bates. Thomas Hawkins recovered the blocked punt in the end zone for the Bulldogs.

Reed said Saturday that his team still has plenty of things to improve on both sides of the ball.

“Defensively, I felt like we still aren’t playing (with) the leverage we need to (a) lot of times playing larger guys up front, (we) have to be able to use our speed and technique to counteract (the) size of teams we face,” Reed said.

“Offensively, we just have to execute.

“We have plays that should work, and often times we’re just not executing them fully.”

The Bulldogs (5-1) will travel to Forest Hill Friday.