NATCHEZ — There are still a few tickets left for tonight’s 29th annualNational Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Banquet at the Natchez Eola Hotel.

Scholarships will be awarded to seven local high school athletes who have excelled on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

The highlight of the event will be the keynote speaker, Mississippi State University head football coach Dan Mullen.

Mullen spoke in Natchez last summer and Miss-Lou chapter of the Football Foundation president Terry Estes said they are happy to have the MSU coach back in town tonight.

“Our Mississippi State people said they would have loved to have Dan Mullen come down here, so they started working on getting him here shortly after last year’s banquet,” Estes said. “He’s already been here once, and he wants to come again, because it gives him an opportunity to get to know the community more. It also means a lot to these kids, him being there.”

The seven nominees for scholarships are Bryce Murray from Adams County Christian, Dylan White from Cathedral, Xavier Todd Allen from Ferriday, Cody Dye from Huntington, Kelvin Barber from Natchez High, Deacon Newman from Trinity Episcopal and Gary Stewart from Vidalia.

The foundation will also honor junior high scholar athletes at the banquet.

The seven junior high honorees are Tyler Buckles from ACCS, Thomas Garrity from Cathedral, Karl Hall from Ferriday, Garrett Vinson from Huntington, Jared Jamal Fletcher from Natchez Middle, Wesley Gore from Trinity and Charles William Alexander III from Vidalia.

The foundation will also recognize and honor a Contributor to Amateur Football, which is Trinity Episcopal football coach David King, as well as recognize and honor a Distinguished American Award, which is Premo Stallone Jr.

The banquet will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 each. For tickets and additional information, contact Big-Joe Oil Company at 601-442-5481 or Terry Estes at 601-446-6555.