CLINTON – How does it feel to win a state championship? Sophomore fullback/noseguard Kayne Troutman now knows. And if Saturday’s MPSA Academy A 14-7 win over the No.1-ranked Wayne Academy Jaguars is any indication of future trends, he and his teammates may know that feeling yet again.

He had already tasted the bitter pill of defeat, losing twice at the end of the playoff road in basketball, but with his gritty efforts on defense and 74 yards rushing as the decoy back in David King’s newly installed Power-I offense, he and the young Saints grabbed redemption and held it up for all to see afterward.

&uot;It’s feels great to finally win a championship,&uot; Troutman said. &uot;It’s unbelievable, I’ve been in two basketball championships and lost. It was an honor to play with Chad Ridley, his last year here, he deserved to win.&uot;

All told, Trinity finished with 238 total yards. Ridley shook off a tough day passing to collect 137 of those on the ground.

&uot;Kayne did a real good job finding the holes today,&uot; Ridley said. &uot;He’s a good runner that worked hard this week in the rain and mud.&uot;

And just how dominating was the Saint defense?

Wayne Academy, which came in averaging 312 yards per game, put up less than 200.

The Jaguars had limited eight of their opponents to only one touchdown or less, including their last three prior to this weekend’s finale. Not on Saturday.

The late third quarter score by the Jags’ represented the only substantial drive of the day. The linebacking corps also had plenty to do with that.

&uot;That No. 77 (sophomore linebacker Ivan Nastally) was a thorn in our side all day on defense,&uot; Wayne head coach Tom Boznor said.

Flanker and backup quarterback Ryan Rachal said he realized he’d get the call under center, he just didn’t think he’d be playing the game’s final 35 minutes.

&uot;Coach told me earlier in the week that we would put it in for about a drive or two, but I didn’t realize we were going to use it as much as we did,&uot; he said.

Chase Brown, nearly had three interceptions, but one got away from him late in the fourth and another was negated by late hit penalty on the Saints.

&uot;We just kept hanging back and waiting for them to throw,&uot; Brown said. &uot;Our defense stepped up big and held them. Every time they got close we always came up with a big play.&uot;

Trinity Episcopal (12-2) is now 2-2 in Class A title games.

King and this group of guys will now look to the basketball court, where most of their peers started playing weeks ago.