CENTREVILLE — The battle that many thought would take place between Trinity Episcopal and Centreville never materialized.

With nothing on the line and the playoffs beginning next week, both coaches got their backups in the game early and let the clock run continuously the second half.

But when the Centreville starters were in the game, they showed why they are the team to beat in Class AA.

The Tigers (9-2) scored touchdowns on their first four offensive possessions en route to a 36-8 win over the Saints.

“We came out of the ball game healthy,” Centreville coach Bill Hurst said. “That’s one good thing. I thought we played well, and now we’ll get ready for a fine River Oaks team next week in the playoffs.”

Trinity (10-1) played without four of its regular starters — R.J. Fleming, Kent King, Jackson Bryant and Larry Calcote — who were nursing minor injuries, but Saints coach David King didn’t want to use that as an excuse for the lopsided loss.

“We played a football game and got our butts kicked tonight,” King said. “Whether you sit out starters or have guys injured or what have you, it’s still a game you try to win and we came out here to win the game and it didn’t happen.”

Centreville got the scoring started early when Hunter Brabham scored on a 16-yard run with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter.

The Tigers struck a few minutes later when Brabham capped off another drive with a 2-yard dive.

Zack Sinclair got in the act in the second quarter, scoring on a 6-yard run less than two minutes into the quarter, and Hunter Travis kept the offensive attack up with a 14-yard run midway through the second quarter.

At that point, both teams emptied their benches and let the backups play the remainder of the game.

Trinity’s only score came with 52 seconds remaining in the half when Chase Cauthen scored on a 2-yard run around left end.

Centreville closed the scoring with a 77-yard run by backup quarterback Tyler Towles early in the third quarter.

Towles led all rushers with 113 yards on just 12 carries.

Both teams will host playoff games next week. Trinity will take on Simpson Academy while Centreville will host River Oaks, a team that took Trinity down to the wire earlier this season before falling 21-16.