NATCHEZ — The Cathedral High School Green Wave will have their hands full Friday at 7 p.m. when it travels to Raymond to take on the undefeated Central Hinds Academy Cougars.

Cathedral is 4-1 overall and is coming off an impressive 34-7 win at home over MAIS Class AAAA Copiah Academy. Central Hinds Academy is 5-0 overall after a 35-20 win over District 3-AAA opponent Riverfield Academy.

“It was a great team win. Special teams needs some improvement in certain areas. Offense and defense, we executed the game plan to perfection. We surprised (Copiah). We played hard for four quarters,” Green Wave head coach Chuck Darbonne said about the biggest takeaway from last week’s win over the Colonels.

The Green Wave will be looking to avenge last year’s 45-10 loss at home to the Cougars. But it will not be easy against a Cougars team that has a big offensive line and plays fundamentally sound defense.

“We need to take a physical approach. They have an offensive lineman who’s committed to Louisiana Tech. They average about 270 on the offensive line,” Darbonne said. “They run the ball about 90 percent of the time. They have a good running back. They have a good running quarterback.”

Darbonne described the Cougars’ defense as one that does not make many mistakes and does not beat itself.

“They stay in the right spots. We’re going to have to earn every first down that we get,” Darbonne said.

Cathedral will look for big games from J.t. Taylor, Lance Gaude, Bryson Moore, and Tyriek Lee and a unit on defense if the Green Wave is going to knock Central Hinds Academy from the ranks of the unbeaten.

“The entire defensive line. The key to the game right there – winning in the trenches,” Darbonne said.

ACCS at Silliman Institute

NATCHEZ — Just like Adams County Christian School, Silliman Institute has played a very tough schedule so far in 2018. And just like the Rebels, the Wildcats have had to deal with the injury bug.

Both of those challenges will be put to the test Friday at 7 p.m. when ACCS travels to Clinton, La. to take on Silliman Institute in the MAIS District 5-AAA opener for both teams.

Even though the Rebels are 5-0 overall and the Wildcats are 3-3 overall, Silliman has been picked by many to win the district title. Coming off a hard-fought 26-20 win over Class AAAA Oak Forest Academy in overtime last week, ACCS wants to make sure that does not happen. Silliman defeated Brookhaven Academy at home 46-20 last week.

But the Rebels will take on a Wildcats team that is vastly improved from a year ago despite home losses to Bowling Green School and Oak Forest as well as at Parklane Academy. When these two faced off last year, ACCS came away with a 20-0 home victory.

“They’re more mature. They’re older. They have two very dynamic players who can take it the distance,” Rebels head coach David King said. “They’re very good at home. They’ve had a tough schedule like us. The main thing is they’re getting healthy again. We knew it was going to be a very good team this year.”

As for what he would like to see his team improve on for ACCS to defeat Silliman, King said, “We just need to get healthy. We’re staring to play our best football. We’re just trying to get some players back. The effort’s been there. We’re starting to decrease our penalties.”

Even though ACCS had fewer penalties last week than it did against Columbia Academy the previous week, the Rebels were still penalized 12 times for 85 yards.

As for who will need to have a big game for ACCS to beat Silliman and stay tied with Cathedral atop the district standings, King didn’t mention any particular players, but instead the defense and the offensive line.

“We’re facing the best skill player that we’ll face all season. Our whole defense needs to tackle well like they’ve been doing the last two weeks,” King said. “They’re very physical up front. We’re going to have to have better blocking if we are going to put up some points. It’s going to have to be a team effort in order for us to pull off this one.”

Centreville Academy at Brookhaven Academy

CENTREVILLE — Two teams with identical overall records will be looking to get back on the winning track Friday at 7 p.m. when the Centreville Academy Tigers travel to Brookhaven to take on the Brookhaven Academy Cougars.

Centreville Academy dropped to 3-3 overall and had a two-game winning streak snapped last week as Bowling Green School rallied from first-half deficits of 14-0 and 20-6 to beat the Tigers 45-28. Brookhaven Academy is also 3-3 overall after a 46-20 setback at Silliman Institute.

While this is the MAIS District 4-AA opener for the Tigers, the Cougars have a district win under their belts after taking care of Clinton Christian Academy 38-8 back on Aug. 31. They will also be looking to avenge last year’s high-scoring game in which the Tigers prevailed at home 57-35.

WCCA at Prentiss Christian School

WOODVILLE — In the midst of a four-game road trip, the Wilkinson County Christian School Rams will look to make it four wins in row when they travel to Prentiss to take on the Prentiss Christian School Saints at 7 p.m. in a key MAIS 8-Man Division 4 games for both teams.

WCCA is 3-2 overall and 1-0 in division play after rallying late in the fourth quarter for a 30-28 win at Tensas Academy. Hunter Gaines had two touchdown runs, D’mario Weathersby threw a TD pass to R.J. Fisher, and Roderick Bailey scored the game-tying touchdown with 1:00 left.

Weathersby, who plays quarterback and free safety, then scored on the 2-point conversion run and preserved the win for the Rams with an interception in the end zone as time expired.

The Saints are 3-3 overall and 1-1 in division play, having defeated Rebul Academy and lost to Tensas Academy. Last week they lost to Briarfield Academy 60-20.