NATCHEZ — Dee Fleming has showcased a variety of ways to score in his high school football career, but the celebration remains the same.

As he races past defenders and crosses the goal line, the Cathedral High School running back immediately points one finger to the sky and looks above.

“I’m acknowledging my loved ones in Heaven and giving thanks to God for blessing me enough to play this sport I love,” Fleming said.

The gesture started when the senior running back’s high school career began at Trinity Episcopal Day School. Fleming’s grandmother, Jessie “Madea” Fleming, died before his first varsity game, encouraging him to point to the sky on his first varsity touchdown run.

Four years later, Fleming’s actions on the field remain genuine, though his skill level has drastically improved.

The Poster Boy

When it came time to nominate a player for the cover of the Miss-Lou 2015 Football Guide, Cathedral head coach Ron Rushing didn’t hesitate.

That honor was reserved for a running back who has remained levelheaded despite tremendous success.

Last season, when the Green Wave won the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A Championship, Fleming accounted for 1,459 rushing yards, 559 receiving yards and 34 total touchdowns. This season, Fleming has 648 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, though he’s spent many games on the sidelines during the second half of blowout wins.

More impressive than the numbers, though, are the responsibilities Fleming has shouldered. Representing Cathedral as its star player means just as much to Fleming as toting the rock and trampling over defenders. So when he sees a young student in the hall or in public, Fleming is the role model Rushing brags about.

“I have two sons, and you see the way (Dee) acts in public, and you sit there and think — that’s what you want your kids to be like when they grow up,” Rushing said. “He’s a great role model for young kids. It’s kind of scary how good he is because he’s genuine in everything he does. He’s one of the best kids I’ve ever coached when it comes to character.”

That character has been tested, and it’s still tested to this day. One of Fleming’s greatest desires is to play at the next level for a Division I program. Fleming said programs like the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, University of Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana Tech are interested, but no scholarships have been offered.

At 5’9”, 190 pounds, Fleming’s size isn’t necessarily the size of a prototypical college running back. Knowing this, Fleming has devoted his downtime to getting better during the summer, and even during the weekends this fall. After lifting weights on Sundays, Fleming makes his way out to the field to work on agility drills.

The fear of missing out on a scholarship offer drives Fleming. However, the scholarship isn’t Fleming’s main priority, at least not for the time being.

“At the end of the day, I just think about my team and this program and keep them first,” Fleming said. “What matters most right now is the present, and this team is my present. I have to be a leader and encourage my teammates to keep going.”

Rushing is confident the offer will come, as he believes Fleming is everything a university should be looking for.

“I think his position has a lot to do with it,” Rushing said. “I’m going to be shocked if he doesn’t get one. He’s unbelievable. He works for it. Everybody talks about height, but you can’t measure the heart this kid has.”

Fleming’s Legacy

If you task Rushing with defining Fleming’s legacy, the first thing he’ll bring up is Fleming’s role on Cathedral’s first-ever state championship football team.

Sharing the load in the backfield, creating mismatches in the passing game and winning 19 of his 21 games played at the school are only scratching the surface of what Fleming has meant to Cathedral, though.

“A lot of people put too much on wins, losses and stats,” Rushing said. “I think the overall legacy is that there’s not one person here at this school that can say anything bad about him. He’s just an all-around great young man. Joe Montana and all of those guys, why were they great? Were they great because they had stats? No, they were great because they made everyone else around them better people. That’s what I think about when I think about him.”

As for Fleming, he’s not concerned with being remembered as the greatest player to ever wear a Cathedral uniform. Instead, he wants to be remembered for the extra effort and the passion he has exhibited throughout his football career.

“I want to have a legacy left here that shows if you work hard, you can achieve anything,” Fleming said.