NATCHEZ — The Adams County Christian School football team started homecoming off with some fireworks Friday night.

But the No. 2 team in MAIS Class AA brought plenty of rain with them from Simpson and quieted the festivities quickly.

ACCS took the ball 72 yards in 12 plays to open up a 7-0 lead early on the visitors from Simpson Academy. But the Cougars answered the Rebels opening touchdown with seven of their own en route to a 49-14 victory.

“They are the defending state champs, and they showed why tonight,” ACCS head coach David King said. “We were just overmatched, but our boys played hard.”

The Rebels opening touchdown came off an 8-yard pass from Brandon Ross to Trey Fleming. Fleming was hit at the 1-yard line and fumbled the ball into the end zone before scrambling for the touchdown recovery. The Rebels did not get another first down until their first possession of the second half.

ACCS did all it could to control the ball on offense to keep Simpson’s high-powered rushing attack on the sidelines, and after five Cougar offensive possessions it was obvious why that was King’s game plan.

“We worked all week on trying to keep the ball from them,” King said. “We did what we could. We tried every single offense and defense we could, but we have to tackle and block.”

Simpson scored on its first six possessions of the game with the first five coming on rushing plays.

Daniel Taylor started the Simpson scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Andrew Berry added a 12-yard run early in the second quarter to put Simpson up 13-7. Taylor scored next on a 51-yard run, and Berry followed three minutes later with a 2-yard plunge to put Simpson up 28-7. Taylor added another score with three minutes to go in the second quarter, and a two-point conversion gave Simpson a 29-point lead.

The passing game got into the act right before half when quarterback Josh Hankins connected with Joshua Broadhead for a 35-yard touchdown. Simpson scored 36 points in the second quarter and led 43-7 at half.

The Cougars finished the game with 248 yards rushing to the Rebels’ 34.

ACCS found the end zone again late in the third quarter when quarterback Brandon Ross connected on a 21-yard touchdown pass to Lester Wells. Andrew Walker added the extra point to make the score 43-14.

The final score of the game came midway through the fourth quarter when Simpson’s Jacob Allen scored on a run from 24 yards. The kick failed and Simpson finished out its 49-14 victory.

“The boys didn’t give up,” King said. “I just hate it for these seniors.”

Ross finished the game completing 7-of-9 passes for 108 yards and also had 11 tackles on defense. Wells caught three passes for 54 yards and one touchdown, and Fleming also had 54 yards receiving on four catches.

ACCS (3-5) will face Silliman Institute next week.