The Mississippi Association of Independent Schools’ All-Star game will have a hint of local flavor.
Buoyed by a championship run, Starkville Academy’s Ryan Mann and Angus Catchot will join Heritage Academy’s Brandon Bell and Blake Sharp in the annual senior showcase game at 4 p.m. today at Mississippi College.
All four players have spent the past four days with their respective North and South teams preparing for the game, which recognizes more than 80 of the state’s top private school players.
“It is a big honor,” Heritage Academy coach Brad Butler said. “(Bell and Sharp) are both well deserving. I would have been disappointed if they did not get a chance to play.”
Bell, who split time at quarterback and running back this season for the Patriots (5-5) had 19 carries for 202 yards and four touchdowns in a victory against Pillow Academy in his final high school game. He finished the season with 144 carries for 1,166 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 92 points.
Sharp anchored the offensive and defensive lines for Heritage Academy.
“They both made a big impact,” Butler said. “Brandon is so versatile that he can help you anywhere. Blake has been a two-way player for three years now. He played little bit as a freshman. They were big parts of our team. Everybody knew if they had big nights we had a pretty good chance of winning. Of course they were not by themselves, but they were awful important to us.”
Sharp said Thursday he enjoyed the three days of practice and is looking forward to competing against some of the state’s top players. He said he likely will play on the defensive line and could see playing time on offense, too.
“Everything has went good and I have had some good practices and showed what I had in me,” Sharp said. “It is a big honor (to be selected). It means a lot to me.”
Sharp said Bell, who couldn’t be reached for comment, also could see time on defense. He said his teammate took repetitions at defensive end in practice. He said it was common for players to move to other positions given so many of them players positions like quarterback and running back.
Sharp, who has earned the nickname “Diesel” from his teammates, said he hopes to use the experience to showcase his talents to college coaches. He said he wants to play football in college and is looking forward to the opportunity to make an impression.
Mann said he will attack the game with the same attitude. That could be a daunting prospect for the opposition considering what kind of season he had on both sides of the ball for the Volunteers. Mann paced Starkville Academy (10-3) with 226 rushes for 1,236 yards and 16 touchdowns. Starkville Academy lost to Washington School 20-0 victory in the MAIS Class AAA, Division II state championship at Robinson-Hale Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College.
“Ryan Mann really was the centerpiece of our offense,” Starkville Academy coach Jeff Terrill. “I can’t put into words what he meant to our team. He was a both-way player at linebacker who had 50-plus tackles for the season.
“Angus also was a two-way player and an All-Conference offensive lineman. There was no question when we had to have something we were going to run behind him. He also did an outstanding job on defense. They are two fine young men who are tremendous leaders who really contributed more than we can say to our terrific turnaround.”
Mann said he moved to defensive tackle this week in practice. He also expects to see some playing time at running back. He said the lack of preparation time has been a challenge to make sure all of the players are on the same page, but he said he is excited to take the field one more time as a representative of Starkville Academy.
“It is a little different (at defensive tackle) because I have never played it,” Mann said. “But it is all the same concept on defense in that you try to get to the ball and make a tackle. It is a little weird being right up on the offensive linemen. I am used to the defensive linemen taking on those blockers and not having to go through them to get to the ball. It is a little different, but it is not too bad.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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