FERRIDAY, La. – The playoffs started a week early for Huntington, as the Hounds needed a home win Friday against the district-rival Trinity Saints to make a trip to the post-season.

A punishing rushing attack and a 25-15 score extended the Hounds’ season by at least one game, a feat Huntington coach Gerald Reeves said his boys have earned.

&uot;The kids needed something,&uot; he said. &uot;They’ve worked hard all year. I’m proud of them.&uot;

Luke Davis and Kenneth Clayton led the Hounds in rushing, combining for 259 yards of Huntington’s 371 total yards offense.

Huntington trailed 15-12 well into the fourth quarter before Clayton broke a run up the middle for 50 yards, finally being drug down at the Trinity 3-yard-line. Clayton pounded it in two plays later, giving the Hounds an 18-15 edge with just under six minutes to play.

Trinity used every receiver on the team on the Saints’ ensuing drive, spreading the field and then taking advantage of the soft middle as quarterback Chad Ridley scrambled for runs of eight and 10 yards, making it as far as Trinity’s 44-yard line.

That would be as close as he got, however, as Ridley’s next pass was intercepted by Todd Iverstine, who picked off four passes in the game.

&uot;They floated a few to me,&uot; Iverstine said. &uot;They just threw a few bad passes.&uot;

Davis added an insurance touchdown on the next drive with a 31-yard run with three minutes left in the game.

Huntington scored first on 5-yard run by quarterback Barrett Arthur in the first quarter, but the extra point kick attempt failed.

The Hounds scored again on their first possession of the second quarter. Davis had runs of 14 and 15 yards, and Clayton had runs of 13 and 16 yards, the latter for a touchdown and a 12-0 lead.

Trinity’s two scores were both set up by long Cole Brown receptions.

A 47-yard pass from Ridley to Brown set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Gregory Ketchings with only 4 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Trinity’s second score came after a 55-yard pass from Ridley to Brown. Ridley then hit Chase Brown for a 12-yard touchdown and a 15-12 lead at the time.