NATCHEZ — Before Adams County Christian School’s game-winning pass to Lester Wells with less than 50 seconds left in the game, Rebels head coach David King had a decision to make.

Brookhaven Academy led 8-7 in a game that would decide the MAIS District 5-AA championship, and King called time out with his team on the 50-yard line.

“I like to have two plays called after a time out, and we had two plays called depending on what defense I thought they would be in,” King explained. “The second play was wide open, so (quarterback Tyler Stockstill) looked at me, and I gave him the thumbs up on the second one.”

The result was a game-winning 50-yard pass from Stockstill to Wells, securing ACCS’s first district title in 31 years.

“Tyler made a great throw, and Lester did the rest,” King said.

And on the bus ride home, King said he reflected a lot on the district titles he had won over the years at Trinity Episcopal Day School.

“I just realized how spoiled I had gotten with district championships and how I had just took them for granted,” King said. “Seeing the excitement in their eyes, I was just so happy for them.”

One of King’s missions in coming to ACCS was to turn the football program around, and he managed to do it in just his second year at the school. King credited his supporting staff for the turnaround.

“I’m a very lucky man,” King said. “God has put me in places with some wonderful people, given the relationships I had when I was at Trinity and I now have at ACCS. They’re just a blessing to be around.”

The No. 3-seed Rebels (9-1) will now turn their head toward possibly winning a state championship. Up first in the MAIS Class AA playoffs is No. 14-seed Central Hinds Academy. The Cougars are a familiar foe for ACCS, as the Rebels already played them Oct. 18 in a 49-28 victory.

“It’s hard to beat somebody twice,” King said. “I’m just thankful to still been alive. They’re a playoff team, and right now everyone is 0-0. Central Hinds has been there many times, and my boys haven’t, so we’ll see how they react.”

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Friday at ACCS.

Natchez High School

NHS might have lost its last chance at a playoff bid, but that won’t stop the Bulldogs from trying to end their season on a good note with two final games left.

Friday’s 62-36 loss to Brookhaven High School left some players emotional about the way their season has gone, but wide receiver Sidney Davis said there is still plenty of motivation to get things right before the end of the season.

As a leader, Davis said he would keep sending his teammates encouraging words.

“I just tell them to keep fighting, because our playoff chance might be over, but we still can win these last two game and give them something to talk about,” he said.

Friday was Davis’ first game back since Natchez played against West Jones High School, and head coach Lance Reed said it was good to have him back.

“He brings a little spark for us,” Reed said. “Him being there made a difference.”

Davis said it took him a while to get acclimated to playing at game speed again after suffering a concussion, but he and the offense got things going in the second half when they outscored Brookhaven 22-21.

“I really just wanted to get my first hit out the way,” Davis said. “After I got my first hit, it felt good. I was anxious to play this game.”

Davis said the offense never gave up because the score could’ve been a lot worse.

“We just said we have to keep fighting, because if we kept down it might have been 100 to 21,” Davis joked.

Reed said in order for the Bulldogs to win these last two games, they must want to do it for themselves and especially the seniors.

“It’s a pride thing that will have to kick in to go out there and win a game,” Reed said. “We’re playing on pride right now.”

Natchez takes on Pearl River Central at 7 pm. Friday.

Ferriday High School

When the Trojans’ Jaylin Neal took a kickoff return 87 yards for the touchdown with 4:50 left in the third quarter against Winnfield High School Friday, he was running for a lot more than six points.

Neal and his fellow seniors were playing in their final home game at Ferriday, and he said there was added pressure to go out and perform.

“It was exciting, because I know I had to get it for the team,” Neal said of his touchdown.

Though Neal said he couldn’t put into words how he felt about it being his final season, he said he knows the team will have to perform well the rest of the way in order to extend his high school career by at least one game. Ferriday (2-6, 0-3) lost to Winnfield, 46-13, making their chances at a postseason berth much more difficult.

“We have to execute next week, and the week after that and just play ball,” Neal said.

Trojans head coach Cleothis Cummings said the Trojans entered Friday’s game ranked 23rd in the LHSAA Class 2A power point rankings. You have to be in the top 32 to make the playoffs, and Cummings said his team should still have a shot at playing beyond Nov. 8, the final game of the regular season.

“We just have to keep chopping at the tree and chopping at the tree,” Cummings said. “We’re not going to give up on our kids, and our kids won’t give up on each other. We’re just going to take it and grow with it.”

Ferriday will play at Jonesboro-Hodge High School next week.