By Ernest Bowker

The Vicksburg Post

VICKSBURG — With 7-and-a-half minutes left in Friday’s game, Porter’s Chapel Academy had a 12-point lead, all the momentum in the world, and a clear path to the playoffs.

By the time the clock hit triple zeroes, it was all gone.

Trinity Episcapol Day School overcame its deficit by scoring three touchdowns in the last seven minutes — the last a 3-yard run by Cade Wells — to stun the Eagles 32-25.

“It was just a momentum shift. Our defense stepped up. I felt like my boys found out how to win tonight,” Trinity coach Zach Rogel said.

The outcome clinched a playoff berth for Trinity in District 4-A, which only contains three teams, while PCA must beat Wilkinson Christian next week in its final district game of the season to earn an automatic berth.

Eight wild card spots are also up for grabs in the MAIS Class A bracket, so PCA (1-3, 0-1 District 4-A) can still earn a spot with a late-season winning streak no matter what happens next week.

“We knew the situation. We knew this was going to be the most meaningful game of the regular season as far as our future. We’ve just got to build off of it,” Rogel said.

PCA quarterback Zac Morgan was 9-of-22 passing for 130 yards and one touchdown, and also rushed for two scores. Logan Pickering added 68 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Wells ran for three touchdowns for Trinity, but it was quarterback Kevontaye Caston that lit up the Eagles.

Caston completed 14 of 29 passes for 231 yards and one touchdown, and added 100 yards and another score on the ground. That performance was enough to overcome eight fumbles, four of which were lost, and five turnovers by the Saints (2-2, 1-0).

“We were very fortunate. It’s something we stress, that the turnover margin usually predicts the game,” said Trinity coach Zach Rogel. “I don’t know what changed it, but we came back in the second half and had good ball security. It was a blessing in disguise, I guess.”

The missteps by Trinity included two lost fumbles inside PCA’s 10-yard line, which allowed the Eagles to gain the upper hand in the game.

Pickering scored on a 1-yard run midway through the third quarter. After a muffed punt gave PCA the ball at the Trinity 25, Morgan scored on a 1-yard sneak to put the Eagles ahead 25-13 with 7:32 left in the game.

Then the bottom fell out for PCA.

A long kickoff return set up Caston’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Tommy McCoy just 30 seconds later.

PCA’s next possession was brought to a grinding halt by a series of penalties. Trinity got the ball back, drove 50 yards in nine plays, and tied the game on Wells’ 4-yard run with 4:25 left.

PCA’s Michael Croisdale blocked the extra point to keep it tied, but the Eagles didn’t swing the momentum back in their direction. A fourth-and-2 play from their own 40-yard line resulted in a fumbled handoff, and Trinity took over at the 36.

“We had it wide open on the left side,” PCA coach Wayne Lynch said. “We knew we were going to get the first down, and we just didn’t get the handoff. It’s just a bad break,”

Trinity, which had 10 plays of 10 yards or more in the second half, quickly moved inside PCA’s 5-yard line. On third-and-goal, Wells took a handoff on a jet sweep, cut around the right end and dove inside the pylon for the go-ahead touchdown with 14 seconds left.

“We had an opportunity to win the game. We had it in our grasp and came up a little bit short,” Lynch said.