Kemper Academy didn’t have enough players to field a varsity football team this fall, but it won’t stop the school from celebrating its annual homecoming festivities.

KA’s 2006 Homecoming will be held tonight prior to the start of the school’s junior-high football game with Newton County Academy.

In early August, officials at the DeKalb school decided against fielding a football team this fall — citing a lack of high school players and concerns about financial penalties should the team start the season and then have to forfeit games. The Rams are expected to return to varsity action in 2007.

Meanwhile, regular homecoming festivities — including the presentation of the 2006 high school homecoming court and queen — will begin at 6:30 tonight.

The junior-high game between the Rams — who are currently 1-0 — and visiting NCA will follow at approximately 7 p.m.



Bester shines

as Kemper QB



The name LaColtan Bester is familar to a lot of folks in Meridian, as he was a key member of the local 14-year-old Babe Ruth All-Star baseball team that went to the World Series a few weeks ago.

In fact, Bester was chosen as the Most Valuable Player when Meridian won the Babe Ruth Southwest Regional in Arkansas.

Last Friday night, Bester turned a few heads on the football field.

A freshman starting in place of injured Dandy Dozen selection Marcus Green, Bester threw three touchdown passes in Kemper County’s 43-26 loss to Morton.

After throwing an interception on his first pass and starting 0-for-4, Bester finished 23-of-34 passing for 258 yards. He had TD tosses of 13 and 17 yards to Torris Grady and a 35-yard TD pass to David Grace.

“I couldn’t have been more proud,” Kemper coach Brock Clay said of his team’s effort against Morton — which is ranked in both statewide Class 3A polls. “It was tit-for-tat for a while … fatigue and injuries just got the best of us.”

Kemper led the game 20-15 going into the fourth quarter.

Bester has now passed for 355 yards in two games while playing for Green, a Mississippi State commitment who is nursing a high ankle sprain.



Raiders as strong

as an Oak



Lamar School coach Mac Barnes was disappointed in his team’s season-opening, 19-0 loss at Oak Hill Academy.

But three weeks into the new season, it’s obvious Oak Hill’s Raiders are definitely no slouch.

Coach Randy Carlisle’s Raiders are 2-1 thus far, beating Lamar and Kirk Academy by a combined score of 49-6 before dropping a 42-35 heartbreaker to Class AAA powerhouse Jackson Academy last week.

JA, the three-time defending Class AAA, Division I state champ, was ranked No. 2 in the state and came into the season with a 24-game winning streak.

Lamar, of course, has rebounded with back-to-back, impressive wins over Simpson and Parklane.

Oak Hill is also getting a helping hand from part-time coach Tom Goode — the former head coach at East Mississippi Community College who resides in West Point.



Tate runs wild

for Wayne



Wayne Academy quarterback Dexter Tate had a night to remember in last week’s 43-0 victory over Central Academy in Macon.

Tate rolled up 288 yards rushing on just 13 carries, and he scored four touchdowns as the Jaguars avenged last year’s 7-6 loss to the Vikings.

Tate scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter, a 44-yard run in the second quarter, a 70-yard run in the third quarter and an 86-yard run in the final period.

For the season, Tate is averaging 9.6 yards a carry — rolling up 382 yards on 40 attempts on the ground.

Wayne hosts Columbia Academy Friday.