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NATCHEZ — After a hard-fought win over Simpson Academy last Friday night at Bobby Marks Stadium in a rematch last year’s MAIS Class 5A State Championship game, the Adams County Christian School Rebels now must turn their attention what’s ahead of them.

And for defending Class 5A state champion ACCS is four straight MAIS District 3-5A games, starting with this Friday at 7 p.m. when the Rebels travel east on U.S. Highway 84 to take on the Brookhaven Academy Cougars.

The Rebels improved to 3-1 with a 28-14 win over the Simpson Academy Cougars. However, senior quarterback Coleman Carter was not 100 percent for much of the second half of that game. He persevered through the pain to throw for 290 yards and three touchdowns on 13-of-27 passing. He also threw one interception and was lucky not to have had a few other passes picked off.

“He has an ankle injury. He’s possible to sit out this week. If he doesn’t play, we’re in trouble,” ACCS assistant coach Matthew Freeman said. He did not say who would be the Rebels’ starting quarterback if Carter were not to go, only noting, “We’re going to change our offense.”

It’s been an up-and-down start to the 2024 season for the Brookhaven Academy Cougars. They now sit a 1-3 overall and 0-1 in district play. After being outscored a combined 97-14 in losses at Wayne Academy on Aug. 16 and home to reigning MAIS Class 6A state champion Hartfield Academy on Aug. 23, the Cougars went on the road and defeated Centreville Academy 41-7.

And then last Friday night, Brookhaven Academy had another tough loss at home to the Oak Forest Academy Yellow Jackets, 42-0 in its district opener.

When these two teams faced each other last season, ACCS came away with a 40-8 win over the Cougars. That being said, Freeman said that Brookhaven Academy is a much-improved team from what it’s been in recent years — especially on offense.

“They’ll run it right at us. They run the stack veer. They’ll use eye trickery and hop that we’re not aligned where we’re supposed to be and not execute,” Freeman said. “Defensively, they’re going to run a multiple-style defense. They’re going to put something in place to stop us. They’re going to try to eliminate the pass. So, we’re going to try to run the ball.”

Freeman said that the Rebels will be getting a good practice on Monday and Tuesday. After that, it’s weather permitting with what Tropical Storm Francine is forecast to bring with it.

“On Wednesday, the MAIS Cheer and Dance Competition takes place in Jackson. We’ll take our players (up) there to root them on because they root for us. Hopefully, we’ll be back before 5 p.m. and have a walk-through, weather permitting. We’ll try to watch an hour of game film,” Freeman said. “Hopefully, the weather will be out of her and we’ll be able to play Friday night.”

As to what kind of offense and defense he expects to see from the Cougars, Freeman said, “The split-back veer offense is what it’s called and they run both a 3-3-5 and a 4-3 defense.”

Freeman said that offensive line is going to have to have “a really big performance from them this week,” especially when the Cougars run their 3-3 stack defense. He said that Tristan Burns and Sean Kerry Cothern will also need to have a big game for the Rebels to emerge victorious against a district opponent on the road, especially in what will be less-than-ideal field conditions.