Every day is game day for local high school standouts
Published 12:00 am Friday, December 16, 2016
The high school football season may have come to a close, but there’s no rest for some of the top players the city of Natchez has to offer.
The junior high school class of Natchez High School and the Trinity Episcopal senior class squared off Thursday evening in a backyard-style, two-hand-touch football game.
Though there were no coaches, referees or a scoreboard present, there was plenty of pride on the line.
“You’ve got to make that catch,” Kevontaye Caston yelled at his one of his wide receivers, exhibiting the same fire he brings to the field each Friday night. Caston tallied 39 total touchdowns this season for the Saints.
Natchez junior quarterback Chris Scott said this is the first occasion in which the two groups have gotten together, but the University of Louisiana-Lafayette commit noted squaring off with the Trinity athletes only betters himself as a player.
“It’s just fun, we just come out here and have fun and compete,” Scott said. “There are a lot of good athletes out here. It’s fun to throw to people that can make plays with the ball. As much as I can come out here and throw, it will prepare me for the next level. Seeing all this speed, going against this type of competition, it’s not doing anything but helping me.”
Natchez junior wide receiver Darell Johnson said the competition between the two squads is raised due to each team’s familiarity with the other.
“We’ve got a rivalry between Natchez and Trinity,” Johnson said. “Most of them went to school here and are our peers. It’s a lot of talk, and we just come out and show it on the field.”
Both sides exhibited different coverages in addition running complex routes to ensure their squad came out on top.
“We’re in the offseason, and we have a lot to work on,” said Johnson, who also doubles as a defensive back on the Natchez football team. “Things we ran during the season, we’re practicing those, and we’re getting better at it. Hopefully that’ll carry over into the season.”