NATCHEZ — Mount Olive High School might not have any more McNair’s on their football roster, but that doesn’t mean the Pirates are any less athletic.

And Cathedral will get to see that athleticism firsthand when they host the Pirates tonight at D’Evereux Stadium.

“Every year they have great athletes and this year is no different,” Cathedral coach Craig Beesley said. “They have probably got one of the best athletes in the district in quarterback Rueben Ducksworth.”

And in order for the Green Wave to counteract Mount Olive’s athleticism, they will need to avoid giving up the big play, something they were able to do much of the game last year.

Cathedral led last season’s game between the two teams at halftime before Mount Olive came back in the second half to take a 34-28 victory.

“We had our chances last year in the third quarter, but we couldn’t change field position in the second half and it caught up with us,” Beesley said. “We know if we go out and execute, read our assignments and do a good job blocking up front, we can do well. We’ve got to do everything right, and can’t afford little mistakes.”

Both teams lost all of their non-region games to open the season, but Mount Olive is 1-0 in region play after defeating Salem 34-6 last week, while Cathedral is 0-1 in region play following a 26-13 loss to Sebastopol last Friday.

“We know we’ve got the two toughest teams in the district the first two weeks,” Beesley said. “We feel like if we can take this game (tonight), it will put us right back into the mix of things as far as the district championship goes.”

Tonight’s game is also special from the standpoint that the school is honoring former standout Von Hutchins, a 1999 graduate of Cathedral who went on to play at Ole Miss and the NFL.

Hutchins will be honored in an on-field ceremony at halftime of the game and a reception will follow the contest in the school’s cafeteria.

“There’s going to be a lot of people there because of the festivities,” Beesley said. “We want to come out and make sure we put on a good performance for the fans.”