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NATCHEZ — If the Cathedral High School Green Wave is to have any chance of making the postseason in MHSAA Class 5A, they cannot afford any more losses in the ultra-tough District 3-5A.

And that starts Friday night when Cathedral plays host to a good Silliman Institute Wildcats team in a key district match-up for both teams in the Green Wave’s annual Pink Wave Game. Kickoff between the Wildcats (4-2, 1-1) and the Green Wave (2-4, 1-2) at D’Evereux Stadium is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Cathedral is coming off a 49-14 loss to Parklane Academy in the Pioneers’ homecoming game that was called late in the third quarter when Cathedral student Aiden Huff suffered a cardiac arrest while watching the game from the stands.

Huff was first taken to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb, where he was stabilized and then transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

Green Wave head coach Josh Loy said that his team did not play its best against Parklane and that they didn’t take advantage of the few breaks that were given to them.

“We didn’t do the things we were set up to do going into the game. We’ve got to play better than we did last Friday night. We did some good things at times, but it wasn’t enough to defeat a quality opponent like Parklane,” Loy said.

Loy added that he did not have his team ready to play and that the Green Wave came out flat. He said that cannot be the case this Friday night against a Silliman team that is coming off a 41-30 upset win at home over Adams County Christian School.

“We’ve got to do a good job being focused. I did a poor job last week. That’s on me. We didn’t respond well. We talked about it and we showed it on film,” Loy said. “We’ve got to do a better job of coming out with more focus, more energy, and more determination. Our backs are against the wall.”

With this also being the Green Wave’s annual Pink Wave Game, the players should definitely come out with more energy and more determination.

“It’s the game in which players choose someone who’s been affected by cancer and their families. Coach (Mark) McCann, who’s been here for a long time, he’s been affected by pancreatic cancer. He’s going through chemo. So we’re dedicating the game to him,” Loy said. “He’s going to be our representative for the game. That’s who we’re honoring Friday night.”

Loy noted that his team will be getting back to simplifying things on offense and defense during practice this week.

“Not give them so much to think about. Just getting them to play more freely. Hopefully, that will lead to better results,” Loy said.

As for what concerns him the most about Silliman on each side of the ball, Loy said, “They’re big up front. They do a good job running the ball. They do a good job of getting the ball to their play makers. They play a physical brand of football. We’ve got to play four quarters of matching their physicality.”

Ball security is something that Cathedral has been better at in recent weeks that it was early in the season. And taking care of the football will be a must for the Green Wave against a Wildcats defense that forced five turnovers in its win over ACCS last week.

“That’s what doomed us the first part of the season. We’ve done a better job of that the last two weeks. We’re going to have to continue to do that Friday night for sure,” Loy said.

Loy said that the Green Wave seniors will have to step up for them to leave D’Evereux Stadium with a much-needed district win and keep their playoff hopes alive.

“We’ve got to play ourselves in the playoffs the next few weeks. And it starts this (Friday night). They have to step up if we’re going to make the playoffs,” Loy added.