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Jag Gilfoil attempts to score the ball for the blue team during Cathedral High's scrimmage on Monday. The Cathedral Green Wave were preparing to face Oak Forest Academy today. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Zach Mann passed the ball to Dow Hairston during Monday's practice at Cathedral High School. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Liam Blackburn kicks the ball back to the blue team while Mickey Blackburn defends during Monday's practice for Cathedral High School. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Alex Dale tries to move the ball to another player while Zach Mann defends in Monday’s scrimmage for the Cathedral Green Wave. Dale is a defender for the Green Wave while Mann is a forward. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

Jag Gilfoil (blue) steadies the ball while Owen Bertelsen defends against him during Monday's scrimmage for Cathedral High Green Wave. (Patrick Murphy, The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — With the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class 4A-District 4 coming down to the last few soccer matches of the season, the Cathedral Green Wave need a win over Oak Forest Academy today.

The Green Wave and the Yellow Jackets are competing for the No. 2 spot in the Class 4A-District 4 standings. Cathedral enters today’s match with a 2-2 record in district play. In the last District 4 match against Brookhaven Academy on Jan. 30, Cathedral won 7-0 at home. Dennis Hogue, Cathedral soccer coach, said he told the Green Wave to focus on today’s match and not any other matches the rest of the season.

“This match is not going to be a cakewalk by any means,” Hogue said. “Oak Forest Academy is a strong team. We went toe-to-toe against them in the last match.”
The Green Wave played against the Yellow Jackets on Jan. 7 and lost 1-0 at Oak Forest Academy. To win this match against Oak Forest this time around, Cathedral needs help from their top scorers.

Kennedy Williams and Jacob Moore have been the No. 1 and No. 2 scorers on the Green Wave squad this season. In the match against Brookhaven Academy on Jan. 30, Moore scored three goals  and Williams scored two goals.

Williams said he feels humbled, blessed and just wants the Green Wave to win.

To prepare for the match today, the Green Wave focused on passing to the open space during Monday’s practice. Hogue said the Green Wave also worked on communication on defense, which has lacked in matches this season.

“We’re going to make sure everyone’s intentions are clear when someone is going to challenge the ball,” Hogue said. “There has been couple of times where we would have two defenders on the same guy. That usually means another player is open. Someone has to commit and tell the other players that he has the player with the ball.”

Alex Dale is one of the key defenders to watch in the match today against Oak Forest Academy. In the last match, Dale was able to score his first goal of his career on a penalty kick. Dale said it was pretty nice to score but he knows this match is going to be important for the Green Wave to win today.

“This match and the match against ACCS will decide whether we make it into the playoffs,” Dale said. “I think this one is the most important one because it will set the tone for what the ACCS match means. If we don’t do well against Oak Forest Academy, then it will have an impact on the match against ACCS.”

The Class 4A-District 4 match begins at 5:30 p.m. today against Oak Forest Academy at D’Evereaux Stadium.

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