NATCHEZ — Cathedral High School is playing one of its biggest games of the year, and yet Cathedral head coach Ron Rushing is wondering why it doesn’t feel as such.

“You would think our players would be pumped up for this game, but we just have not practiced well,” Rushing said. “You never know what that means. Sometimes you can practice well and play terrible, and it can be vice versa.”

Rushing wants a great atmosphere at practice because his team will be playing an undefeated Simpson Academy, who Rushing said has a defense as good as his team has seen this season.

“I’m not going to say they’re better than Jackson Prep, but they are really good on that side of the ball,” Rushing said.

The (4-1) Green Wave will travel to take on a (5-0) Simpson team that has already recorded wins against teams like East Rankin Academy. To follow that up, the winner of this game will be in the driver’s seat in the district, as Cathedral, Simpson and Adams County Christian School all hold the best records in the district.

To counter a team that is allowing less than 17 points per game, Cathedral will rely on its star running back Dee Fleming and wide receiver Jardarius Anderson.

“We’re going to do what we do, but we want to feed Dee the ball and get the ball out there to Jardarius,” Rushing said.

Defensively, Cathedral will have to go against a spread attack that has scored more points as the season has progressed. But Rushing believes Cathedral can match Simpson’s physicality, even without one of its best lineman Robert Hargrave participating.

Cathedral will travel to take on Simpson at 7 p.m. Friday.