NATCHEZ &045; On regular days at the end of football practice at Trinity Episcopal, plenty of people are still on campus getting work done or doing other things.

On this day when Stevan Ridley and other Saints got to the top after running yet another hill, something was different.

Everybody had gone home.

Yet the day wasn’t over, although he wished it was. The extra-long practice was punishment after playing so lousy in a 10-7 loss at home to Centreville Academy three weeks ago. For a team that had to give everything it had to get a good jump on the district race, there was no time for slip-ups.

&8220;We sat down here probably a good hour, and we took one of the baddest chewings I’ve ever had at Trinity,&8221; he recalled. &8220;Centreville was all-around just a bad week. We didn’t have a good practice all week. We got into the game, and we had a bunch of mental errors.&8221;

The loss could have sent the team into a tailspin since only two teams get playoff invitations &045; everyone knows Oak Forest will get one &045;&160;heading down the stretch. Yet the loss instead lit a fire in everyone, including the coaches the entire week after the loss, to get the Saints into playoff contention.

Trinity hosts Brookhaven Academy at 7 p.m. Friday, and a Saints win will sew up a playoff spot and give them a chance to play for the district championship in two weeks at OFA. The Cougars need a win and a win over Bowling Green in two weeks to get in.

&8220;The last two games we’ve really played complete ball games,&8221; Trinity head coach David King said. &8220;We just had an old-fashioned heart-to-heart after the Centreville game and let the seniors know they were going to be the first losing team in a couple of years here. The seniors have finally established some leadership roles out here.&8221;

The game has been the wake-up call the Saints needed. After their debut season in Class AA and matching up against teams that often have twice as many players suited up, the Saints found a way to get things done the last two weeks with road wins at Columbia and Bowling Green.

Early in the season &045; even before the loss to Adams Christian &045; folks were talking about next season when the Saints would assumedly move back down to Class A and continue to be successful.

Now they have a chance to get into the playoffs in Class AA.

&8220;Everybody’s talking about next year, and it’s way too early for me,&8221; Ridley said. &8220;Why not make a run for the playoffs? I think we should be 7-1 right now, in my opinion. After our first district loss, we bounced back and recovered from it. We went on the road and won two games. I think that’s what got us going. Anything can happen &045; why not us?&8221;

It was turnovers that were the main culprit in the loss to Centreville, and the lack thereof has been the biggest plus in the last two wins. The Saints had none to Bowling Green’s two last week and one to Columbia’s one &045; although the takeaway in that game was huge with Taylor Fleming recovering a fumble in overtime.

And leave it to Ridley and the ground game. The junior eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season with 258 yards on 46 carries.

&8220;I’m really pleased with our offensive line,&8221; King said. &8220;They really picked it up and played well against a team that had out-manned us and were much bigger and physical than we were. We had four fumbles and two interceptions that (Centreville) game, and the last game we didn’t have a turnover.&8221;

The defensive front picked it up against Bowling Green and contained the Bucs’ running game &045; outside of two big plays, they had just 151 yards on the ground. The defense will be in for another big test Friday against a Brookhaven team that can score plenty of points with quarterback Price Sessums and a group of talented receivers.

&8220;The defense played a lot better &045; better than we have all year &045; against Bowling Green,&8221; linebacker Kyle Dunaway said. &8220;We haven’t given up a touchdown pass, and that’s what Brookhaven is all about &045; getting outside and throwing the ball. Our ends will have to work hard, and our outside linebackers will have to work hard to keep him inside. (Sessums) doesn’t like to run up the middle.&8221;

Turnover problems have haunted the Cougars, too, and that’s why they’re in a different predicament than Trinity. Fumbles were the main downfall in a 33-32 loss to Silliman.

The Saints know that all too well. The team that holds on to the ball best may very well win the game.

&8220;We’ve just been playing over our heads &045;&160;that’s all I can say,&8221; Dunaway said. &8220;We’ve been out-manned at almost every position but running back. We’ve found a way to make it work. We had a good week of practice of the Columbia week and the Bowling Green week, and I feel good about this week.&8221;