NATCHEZ — Leading by only three points with less than two minutes to go in regulation, Trinity Episcopal needed a big play on offense to put Centreville Academy away.

But before the offense had a chance to do so, the Saints’ special teams stole the spotlight.

Up 16-13, the Saints defense had just risen to the challenge of stalling the Tigers, stopping Centreville on its own 1-yard line on third down. Centreville’s Cliff Hurst was forced to punt, and Trinity’s Tip McKenzie fielded the ball on the Saints’ 39-yard line.

McKenzie then ran to his right, down the sideline and into the end zone before a Centreville player could take him down. Trinity got the two-point conversion, giving it a 24-13 cushion with 1:28 to go.

“For some reason, we hadn’t been fielding those punts like I wanted us to,” Trinity head coach David King said.

“I told Tip to make a play, and he made a big play when we needed him to.”

The Saints would go on to win, improving to 3-0 on the season. The Tigers fell to 0-3, bringing the team into uncharted territory by Centreville standards. A gracious Bill Hurst was very complimentary of the Saints coaches after the game.

“Trinity is a really classy team. David King is one of the most classy guys out there, and he and his staff do a great job,” the Centreville head coach said.

After having just two penalties in the first half, Centreville’s offense lost 48 yards on five penalties in the second half, which helped limit the Tigers to just one second-half touchdown.

“We made some mental mistakes, but I’m not blaming anybody. The blame falls on me. We didn’t perform when we needed to, but I did get good effort from my players,” Bill Hurst said.

Trinity got on the board first when Kent King scored on a one-yard carry with 3:15 to go in the first. Trinity got the two-point conversion, going up 8-0.

Centreville responded on the very next drive, marching down the field and scoring on a 4-yard run by Randy Bell. Cliff Hurst kicked the extra point, cutting Trinity’s lead 8-7.

The Saints got back on the board in the second quarter, scoring on an 11-yard touchdown catch by McKenzie. Daniel Dunaway ran it in for two, giving Trinity a 16-7 lead at the half.

The Tigers came storming out in the second half, capping off a long drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Bell. Trinity blocked the extra point, however, giving the Saints some momentum, which their defense rode the rest of the game.

Neither team scored again until McKenzie’s 39-yard punt return late in the fourth.

“Defensively, we were outstanding tonight. Centreville is going to score some points, and they willed themselves (into the end zone) a couple of times, but overall we played well on that side of the ball,” King said.

Even with the Tigers still winless, Bill Hurst has faith that his players will turn their season around.

“From here, we go up. I have confidence in these kids and these coaches,” Bill Hurst said.

King, meanwhile, is savoring the win against Trinity’s archrivals.

“Centreville Academy, to me, is the standard in our association. We look for them to win the rest of their games,” King said.

“When you beat Centreville, it means something. I feel like we got better as a team, showed some intestinal fortitude and made some big plays.”