By Patrick Murphy

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — When the Cathedral High School Green Wave square off against Hillcrest Christian, this will be the first time two schools have met on the gridiron since Cathedral Head Coach Chuck Darbonne played for Cathedral in 1997-2000.

When Darbonne played, the Green Wave faced the Cougars three times.

This is the first district game of the season. Both of these teams are in District 4 of Class 4A. To prepare for this game, Darbonne said he has added different personnel packages.

“We added more wide receivers on the field and took out our running back,” Darbonne said. 

With the addition of a wide receiver, Darbonne said he wants his offensive team to “find a rhythm and a few more things they do well.”

Darbonne said he wants his team to become more balanced. Meanwhile on defense, the Green Wave are trying to create more turnovers, Darbonne said.

During practices this week, J.T. Taylor has been focusing more on his pass connections with the wide receivers. In last week’s game against Madison St. Joseph, Taylor connected with Sam Mosby on crucial third and fourth downs in the fourth quarter.

The Green Wave would defeat the Bruins, 18-14. Darboone said those connections helped continue drives for the team.

“It came from a lot of good reps in practice, just being on the same page,” Darbonne said. “It looked relatively easy for them. Whenever it came down to pressure time, it came easy for those two. Mosby had some good gains on third down and there was a fourth down and 15 yards. It was the second biggest conversation.”

Taylor has also been trying to fine-tune everything to prepare himself for the first district game. Meanwhile, Mosby has focused on his routes and trying to beat man coverage.

He said this is because the Green Wave don’t face man coverage.

In the game against the Bruins, Mosby would have a couple of third-down catches of over 20 yards each.

“I’m just trying to get positioning on the defensive backs,” Mosby said. “I’m trying to get open and create space for the other wide receivers.”

The Cougars come into this game on a three-game losing streak. The Cougars are 19-72 on the road. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. at D’Evereux Stadium.

 

Below are TONIGHT’S GAMES

that ALL BEGIN AT 7:

Clinton Christian Academy at ADAMS COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

JEFFERSON COUNTY

at Odessa High

NATCHEZ HIGH at Velma Jackson

Hillcrest Christian at

CATHEDRAL

DELTA CHARTER at Delhi Charter

FERRIDAY HIGH at Alexandria

VIDALIA HIGH at Sicily Island

Silliman Institute at

CENTERVILLE

FRANKLIN COUNTY at North Pike

Columbia at WILKINSON COUNTY