MAIS preview: ACCS, Cathedral meet Friday

Published 1:17 am Thursday, October 11, 2018

NATCHEZ — When Cathedral High School plays host to Adams County Christian School Friday night in an important MAIS District 5-AAA game for both teams, it will be more than just a cross-town rival game.

It is also Senior Night for the Green Wave. And it is also Cathedral’s Pink Wave game as the Green Wave players will be wearing pink in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Kickoff at D’Evereux Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

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“Expect an electric atmosphere,” Cathedral head coach Chuck Darbonne said. “(ACCS head) coach (David) King will have his guys ready. Our guys will be ready.”

“All games are important. This could possibly be for the district championship,” King said. “My coaching staff and I have great respect for coach Darbonne. We know that they’ll have their team ready to defend their home turf.”

For Cathedral, it’s an opportunity to not only be on top of the district standings, but also get some much-needed momentum after losing three of its last four games to put the Green Wave at 4-3 overall.

That included a 45-14 homecoming loss to rival St. Aloysius last week despite out-gaining the Flashes 376 to 277. Tyriek Lee ran for 128 yards and Kendall Washington added 92 rushing yards, but two lost fumbles hurt Cathedral.

“It’s very important for morale. It’s more important in that we have a chance to win the district if we win against them and against Silliman (on the road next week),” Darbonne said.

“I kind of laugh when people say that Cathedral is down on talent. They have six or seven of the best players I’ve seen all year,” King said.

The Green Wave 1-0 in district play after winning at Central Private School 28-0 way back on Aug. 24 in what was their first official game of the 2018 season after their game against Brookhaven Academy on Aug. 17 was canceled due to lightning.

When asked what concerns him the most about Cathedral, King said, “They’ve got five or six of the best-looking athletes I’ve seen on film all year. They have a nice-looking line and a nice-looking quarterback (J.t. Taylor). They’ve played a tough schedule like we have.

King added that he’ll have no doubt that the Green Wave will play their best game of the season against the Rebels. He also said that it will take a team effort for ACCS to come out on top Friday night.

“We have to be able to flush all of those first seven games out of our way and solely focus on Cathedral our we could get our feelings hurt,” King said. “Everybody’s got to step up.”

ACCS is 7-0 overall after taking care of a good Bowling Green School team on the road 60-25 last week. Jakarius Caston and DJ Stampley each had over 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Sterling Yarbrough threw for 218 yards and two scores.

King said that his team has been practicing on pretty much everything in preparing for the short ride to Cathedral.

“We’re just trying to fine-tune