CCAA to host Kirk Academy in MAIS Class 4A semifinals – Mississippi’s best community newspaper

NATCHEZ – Adams County Christian School will be looking to qualify for another state championship football game BUT when the Rebels host the Kirk Academy Raiders in the Class 4A semifinals on Friday at 7 p.m. at Bobby Marks Stadium .

Last Friday night, number 2 seeded ACCS and District 3-4A champion, scored 27 unanswered points to deal with number 10 seed Riverfield Academy Raiders 41-27 while seed Kirk Academy No.11, had yet another shaken road victory, this time rallying to stun No.3 seed Brookhaven Academy Cougars 45-38 in overtime.

The Kirk Academy Raiders of Grenada (7-5) racked up nearly 500 yards of total offense in their surprise win over the Cougars – 279 yards rushing and 219 yards in the air. In the first round, they upset their District 1-4A rival and Marshall Academy number 6 in a 7-6 defensive game.

As for what CASC will be working on this week to prepare for Kirk Academy, Rebels head coach David King said, “Anything and everything. It’s the semi-finals. Everyone is good. We need to fine-tune everything. It will be a long week. You get closer and the work becomes more intense. We need to be organized and we need to cover all of our bases.

King added that while most of his assistant coaches were here, many of his players weren’t and they’ll have to condense it all into four practices.

“The weather is great and we are delighted to have another opportunity to train these young men,” King said. “I receive my joy to be with these children from Monday to Thursday. I’m just thankful for another week of training with these great young men.

A pair of KA seniors, running back AJ Wren and quarterback Colberth Hathcock, led the Raiders’ offense. Wren struggled with the Cougars’ defense in the first half and again at the end of regulation and overtime. Hathcock, a baseball player from Meridian Community College, came up with big plays when they needed them.

“They are going to be a very good opponent. They have one of the best running backs in the state (Wren). They have a good quarterback in high school (Hathcock). They are well supervised. Bottom line, they’re playing in the state semifinals and the other teams are in the deer stands. Which tells you they’re good.

The ACCS (9-2) will need big games from freshman quarterback Coleman Carter, running back / defensive back JJ Claiborne, wide receiver / senior defensive back DK McGruder and senior wide receiver Jamar Kaho as well as lines. offensives and defenses for the Rebels will play their second straight game for the state title and their fourth in six seasons.

The Rebels lost to Leake Academy 10-0 in last year’s Class 5A State Championship game (No.3 seed vs. No.1 seed), beat No.1 seed Indianola Academy 29-17 as the No. 14 seed in Class 2018 State AAA Title Match, and lost to IA in the Class AAA State Title Game 2016 (seeded No. 2 against seed n ° 1).

This Kirk Academy team is a bit like the ACCS team that made it to the 2018 AAA class playoffs as a No.14 seed and ended up winning the state championship.

“The teams are warming up at the right time. They beat two very good teams, ”said King. “They have an exceptional racing game. Defensively, they are going to be very, very strong. Offensively they have a running back who makes people miss and is very elusive. The two teams are tied. We have the advantage of being at home. Their head coach (Mike Beagle) may have an advantage over me. Here is.”

King said what concerns him most about the Raiders is that they are playing their best ball right now.

“They’re hungry. And they look healthy. And we’re not,” King said.

If ACCS is to defeat Kirk Academy, he must reduce the shots on goal. In last week’s win over Riverfield, the Rebels were penalized 11 times for 110 yards. And they will have to win the sales battle.

King said the Raiders don’t come to Natchez just to play, but to win. And they had a large crowd that made the trip from Granada to Brookhaven for their big win over the BA Cougars.

“You can tell they are playing with a lot of confidence. They looked really well trained. We played our best game last week and we need to play better this week, ”said King. “Our assistant coaches have already put in a lot of hours this week. I feel good that we are playing at home.

King said he expected the atmosphere at Bobby Marks Stadium on Friday night to be “electric”.

“We are the last in this field to play. It’s terrible to say, but generally we’re the last in the region to play, ”King said. “I hope the other teams will come and support us as we would. Hope it’s a big crowd. Assistant coaches and players are ready for it. I really enjoyed this year. You never know when it will be your last year to train. I’m going up there. I’m just going to enjoy the time with these men.