CENTREVILLE — If the Centreville Tigers are going to get back to yet another MPSA Class AA championship game, they are going to have to run quite a gauntlet, beginning with Friday night’s game against Copiah Academy.

Kickoff between the 10-2 Tigers and the 11-1 Colonals is set for 7 p.m. in Centreville.

Copiah is the defending MPSA Class AA state champion.

“Copiah has got a great team,” Centreville assistant coach Brian Stutzman said. “It should be a great matchup.”

That may be an understatement. The Colonals have won nine games in a row since dropping a 21-7 decision to Brookhaven Academy in the third week of the season.

Copiah’s resume includes handing AA power Leake Academy its only regular season loss and also giving Oak Forest one of its two losses on the season.

They blew out Prairie View 28-0 in their playoff opener last Friday.

The Colonals are led by senior quarterback Daniel Sims, who reminds Stutzman of a left handed version of Trinity quarterback Parker Brumfield.

“He scares me,” Stutzman said. “He is the key to their success. He can run and throw and puts nice touch on the ball. If the play breaks down, he can make a play with his feet.”

Sims isn’t Copiah’s only offensive threat. Wide receivers Bryce Guess and Hunter Greer and running back Brandon Greer are also key players the Centreville defense will have to stop.

But judging on last Friday’s performance, the Tiger defense just might be up to the task.

Centreville defeated Central Private 18-0 and held the Rebels to just 97 yards of offense.

“The defense played their best game of the year last Friday,” Stutzman said. “But they’re going to have to play even better this week because it is just going to keep getting g tougher and tougher.”

Stutzman said he expects a great atmosphere at Centreville Friday night.

“There will be a lot of Centreville fans there but there should also be a lot of local football fans there as well,” Stutzman said. “It’s going to be a good game. To get to the state championship game, you’ve got to go through Copiah.