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Adams County Christian's Glaston Magee receives the ball while running a drill in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian football players run drills Friday during practice in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian offensive linemen run a drill during practice Friday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian football players run during practice last spring in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian's D.J. Stampley looks to throw the ball during a drill last spring in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Christian's Jordan Barry jumps to receive the ball during practice Friday in Natchez. (Nicole Hester | The Natchez Democrat)

By TIM GUERCIO

NATCHEZ — The Adams County Christian School Rebels football team will compete this year as a Class 5A school.

The change in classification comes after the Rebels won the state championship last year as an MAIS Class 3A division, and ACCS will be the smallest 5A school in the state, school officials said.

The biggest schools in Mississippi are placed in 6A. ACCS finds itself going up in class by virtue of a male student count that was over the threshold by one student, school officials said.

Without that one extra male student the team would have been bumped from 3A to 4A but will now be in the 5A classification.

“This means we will be playing bigger and tougher teams this year,” head coach David King said. “Most schools will probably dress out 40 to 50 players, we will dress out 20 to 25 players.”

“We had a great senior class last year with a lot of leaders on that team. Unfortunately, all of our offensive stats graduated, too,” King said. “However, we will have five returning starters on our defense.”

Friday afternoon the offense was practicing running plays against a defensive line that was told no holding and no tackling by the coaching staff.

“The main thing is to not get anybody hurt this spring,” King said. “We are going to have to replace 90% of our offense. Last year we were able to throw the ball and run the ball successfully against everybody.”

Whether it is spring practice in football or spring training in the Major Leagues, the coaches want to see players get their timing down.

The rhythm that the center and the quarterback together must have to be able to execute a successful snap is worked on.

A Friday drill saw a timing pattern between the quarterback and receivers on a simple five yards and in play.

That requires superior timing by both the QB and the receiver, King said.

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