NATCHEZ — Adams County Christian School thought it would be playing for a perfect regular season and a district championship Friday night when it hosted Central Private School for Senior Night at Bobby Marks Stadium.

But when the Mississippi Association of Independent School ruled just hours before ACCS’s game at Cathedral School a week earlier that the Rebels had used an ineligible player during their first seven games, 8-0 turned into 1-7.

And any thoughts of winning the MAIS District 5-AAA title came to an end after having to forfeit those seven wins, including one over

Silliman Institute. However, ACCS still had a possible playoff berth to play for and the host Rebels did not let their fans down as they defeated the visiting Rebels 47-22.

“We’ve been through a lot this week. I was proud of the support we got from our fans after this rough week,” ACCS head coach David King said. “We finished our season at home in good fashion over a good Central Private team.”

ACCS took command of the game with a 20-point first quarter. Sterling Yarbrough had touchdown passes of 67 yards to Yohan Thompson and 54 yards to Kemari Clark. DJ Stampley scored on a two-yard run. 

Cory Sewell scored on a 25-yard run just 36 seconds into the second quarter and Yarbrough connected with Jakarius Caston on an 18-yard TD pass to give the host Rebels a 33-0 lead.

Then Central Private (4-5, 0-3) tried to get back in the game with halftime approaching. Jace Pendarvis scored on a 2-yard run with 4:04 to go and Kaleb Fontenot threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Austin Peairs to make it 33-14 at the break.

“I was pleased with how we started. Then we had a few setbacks in the second quarter,” King said. “We were on the same page in the first quarter.”

The host Rebels responded with a pair of TDs in the third quarter.

Yarbrough scored on a 7-yard run and Dawson Parker scored on a 1-yard run to give them a commanding 47-14 lead. Yarbrough completed 10 of 16 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns to go with his touchdown run. 

Stampley had seven carries for 53 yards while Tripp Cotten had four carries for 50 yards. Sewell had three carries for 50 yards.

Defensively, Rhet McDonald had eight tackles and one interception, Sewell had eight tackles and one fumble recovery, and Thompson had six tackles and two sacks.

“Everybody got to play. Everybody played well. Everybody contributed,” King said.

Fontentot scored on a 46-yard run and Pendarvis added the two-point conversion run with 3:49 to go in the game to for the visiting Rebels.

As to whether ACCS (2-7, 2-1) has done enough to advance to the MAIS Class AAA State Playoffs, King said, “It’s going to be close. I sure hope so for our seniors. I hope the season continues for them.”