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NATCHEZ — Two seniors from Cathedral High School and two seniors from MAIS Class 5A state runner-up Adams County Christian School participated in the 2020 MAIS Class 4A-6A All-Star Football Game on Friday, Dec. 4.

Bryson Moore and Jones Richardson represented Cathedral and both played on the white team. Corey Sewell and Blake LaPrairie represented ACCS. Sewell played on the white team while LaPrairie played on the blue team.

Green Wave head coach Chuck Darbonne was the head coach of the white team and assistant coach Austin Helus served as its team’s defensive coordinator. The head coach of the blue team was former Cathedral and current Brookhaven Academy head coach Ron Rushing.

“It was just a great honor after just a great season. To coach the best of the best between 4A and 6A,” Darbonne said. “It’s very exciting I got to coach Jones and Bryson. Our season got cut short. It was just an honor to coach those two one more time as well as the others. It was a collection of the best players in the association.”

As for how Helus was named one of Darbonne’s assistant coaches for the All-Star Game, Darbonne said, “It’s a selection process through the MAIS office. The randomly select the coaches the want for the All-Star Game.”

The game was played at Patriot Field on the campus of Jackson Preparatory School and the white team came out on top, 28-21, after being down two scores in the first half.

As for what it was like for Sewell and LaPrairie to be on opposite teams, Darbonne said, “I’m sure they, being the competitors they are, they wanted to compete against each other. They weren’t the only teammates who were separated.”

LaPrairie earned defensive MVP honors for the blue team after recording seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.

“Every time he was (out) there, we had a hard time moving the ball. He played defensive tackle. He was in our backfield,” Darbonne said.

Moore, Richardson and Sewell each solid defensive stats of their own for the white team. Richardson, who played offensive tackle and defensive tackle, had two tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack. Moore, who played defensive end, finished with four tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. Sewell, who played linebacker as well as running back, had five tackles.

“They did (play well defensively),” Darbonne said. “We had some good guys from Jackson Academy who did a good job, too. They got the defensive MVP from our team.”

And there was one memory from this game that Darbonne was excited, yet probably surprised, to see.

“Jones and Bryson combined for a sack on the last play of the game when they were trying a Hail Mary,” he said.

The white team scored a touchdown late in the second quarter to trail by seven at halftime. An offensive touchdown in the third quarter tied the game at 28-all.

“One of the JA guys intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put us up seven,” Darbonne said. “It was highly competitive and the best players from the MAIS playing against each other. We expected it to a close, hard-fought game. Down to the wire.”

“It was a great moment for all of us involved,” Darbonne added.