NATCHEZ — Despite starting the season 8-0, the Adams County Christian School Rebels are now 1-7 after the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools stripped the school’s varsity football team of seven wins due to an ineligible player infraction.

Last Friday, the MAIS Academy Activities Commission determined that one of the varsity football players was ineligible for inter-school competition this school year, school officials announced Tuesday.

Coach and headmaster David King said the team learned of the ruling just in time to sideline the player before Friday’s 39-6 win at Cathedral and the Rebels’ win against Cathedral will remain on ACCS’s record.

King said the player was deemed ineligible due to MAIS criteria that stipulates any player moving between independent member schools must sit out a year unless they meet certain criteria including moving to a new home closer to the new school, removing all furniture from their former home of residence and the former residence must be closed, rented or disposed of and not used by the family.

King said “a couple of pieces” of furniture were left behind at the player’s former address.

“There was a technicality, an unintentional one on the school’s behalf and the young man’s behalf,” King said. “The school that he came from turned us in and they investigated it, and it was a technicality but nonetheless one that we won’t run from.”

King said the infraction was only an athletic one and that the player would continue his school year at ACCS. King declined to mention the student’s name or from what school the student had moved. King took full responsibility for the situation.

“It’s my responsibility as the head of the school to ensure that our kids are all eligible,” King said. “In 24 years of coaching, besides burying three of my football players, this is the toughest thing I’ve had to deal with, and I’m devastated for our school. And it’s no one’s fault but mine, but it was definitely an unintentional factor that cost a great group of boys a great season.”

A home game win Friday night against Central Private would give Adams County its second divisional win and keep ACCS’ playoff hopes alive, King said.

“We have a one-game season now. It’s win or it’s over,” King said.

King said he met with players Tuesday to tell them their teammate wouldn’t be playing the rest of the season. King said the meeting was followed by a spirited practice.

“They are very upbeat,” King said. “This is a team of brothers that has some unbelievable character, and they will overcome this.”