Rebels face defending state champions on senior night

Published 1:25 pm Friday, October 13, 2023

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NATCHEZ — Most high school football head coaches would schedule a team they know they would beat for either homecoming or Senior Night. However, most coaches are not Adams County Christian School head coach David King.

This Friday night, MAIS Class 5A ACCS will play host to St. Joseph Catholic School of Greenville for the Rebels’ Senior Night game. Kickoff between the Fighting Irish (4-4) and the Rebels (6-3) is slated for 7 p.m. Even though Greenville St. Joseph is now in MAIS Class 3A, it won the Class 4A state championship in 2022.

“A lot of the schools in that area were refusing to play them. Coach King is never scared to play anybody,” ACCS assistant coach Matthew Freeman said. “They’ve got a good team. They have good athletes. They’ve got a kid committed to Baylor, (defensive end) Alex Foster. We look forward to the challenge.”

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Ten senior members of the football team along with senior members of the cheerleading and dance teams will be honored.

The Fighting Irish got back off the mat as they defeated Manchester Academy in a District 3-3A match-up 22-9 last Friday night. That snapped their three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Rebels ended a two-game losing skid of their own by taking care of Class 4A Amite School Center 35-14 last Friday night.

It’s been three years since these two teams last faced each other. The Fighting Irish came away victorious 50-20 in Week 1 of the 2020 season. And those players who are currently on ACCS’s roster who played in that game would love to avenge that loss — especially the seniors.

Freeman said the Rebels are still trying to get healthy with a few players in rehab. He said they are practicing this week on working to make sure they execute everything in their game plan.

Even though the Fighting Irish are now in Class 3A, Freeman said their athleticism and speed are what concerns him the most.

“They’ve got athletes everywhere. They’ll be the fastest team we play all year,” Freeman added.

Freeman said that ACCS will need a big game from its defense as well as from its offensive line if the Rebels are to celebrate their Senior Night with a win.

“The defense needs to have a really good, sound game. Knowing their assignments. If we don’t, they’ve got plenty of athletes wo can take it the distance. Our offensive line having to account for their defensive end (Foster). They’ve going to have to have the best game of the year,” Freeman said.