CENTREVILLE — If there was ever a time this season for Centreville to play like the defending Class AA state champion, then Friday night’s District 5-AA showdown with undefeated and fifth-ranked Bowling Green was the time to do it.

Centreville got a much-needed boost from a running game led by Zack Sinclair and Cliff Hurst, as well as its defense as the Tigers defeated the Buccaneers 41-11 Friday night.

While Bowling Green quarterback Kasey Cooley tried to keep his team in the ball game by throwing 38 passes, Centreville’s defense picked off four of his passes. The first one was by his counterpart, Kyle Brown, who also plays defensive back.

Brown’s pick led to Centreville’s first points of the game, a 1-yard run by Brown with 8:22 to go in the first quarter. Dean King made a 25-yard field goal just past the midway mark of the opening quarter to cut the Tigers’ lead to 6-3. That would be as close as the Buccaneers would get the rest of the game.

Sinclair, who had 23 carries for 158 yards, scored on a 3-yard run just three seconds into the second quarter, and Hurst added the two-point conversion run to give the Tigers (4-2, 1-1) a 14-3 lead, which they took into halftime.

Sinclair scored on a 2-yard run with 7:18 to go in the third quarter to put Centreville on top, 21-3. Hurst, who had 17 carries for 120 yards, scored on a 1-yard run at the 4:17 mark of the quarter. Bowling Green (5-1, 1-1) scored its final points of the game on a 2-yard run by Cooley and his two-point conversion pass to King with one second remaining in the quarter.

Sinclair scored on runs of 2 yards and 9 yards in the fourth quarter to cap off the scoring.

Defensively, Colby Lockwood led the team in tackles with seven, followed by Billy Waddell, Adam Perry and Etheridge with six each. Brown intercepted two Cooley passes.

Tallulah Academy 34, WCCA 12

TALLULAH, La. — Tallulah Academy ran the ball at will on WCCA, and the Trojans’ defense held Tip McKenzie in check as the Trojans defeated the Rams in a key District 6-A game for both teams.

Justin Horath led Tallulah’s rushing attack with touchdown runs of 12, 2, 2, and 19 yards. As a team, the Trojans had 311 total rushing yards. Meanwhile, their defense held McKenzie to just 29 yards rushing on nine carries.

The Rams (2-4, 1-4) did not turn the ball over once, while the Trojans turned it over three times.

Todd Gonda scored all Rams’ points on field goals of 37 and 33 yards and a 3-yard touchdown run. Tallulah (4-2, 3-2) got its other touchdown on a pass from Jes Shivers to Albert Martin.

Riverfield 49, ACCS 20

RAYVILLE, La. — Brad Rogers scored on four touchdown runs to lead the Raiders past the Rebels Friday night in District 3-AA action.

Rogers scored on runs of 24, 1, 9, and 50 yards and threw two two-point conversion passes, both to Logan Moore, to lead Riverfield (5-1, 2-1).

ACCS (0-6, 0-3) scored on a 65-yard run by Brandon Sanders in the second quarter, but the Rebels still trailed the Raiders 29-7 at halftime.

After Rogers’ 50-yard scoring run, the Rebels responded when Bryce Murray returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

Sanders scored his second touchdown of the game on an 8-yard run later in the third quarter, but it was not enough.