NATCHEZ — It was a great week for several private school teams in the area.

There were historic wins, teams taking a hold of first place in the district and teams getting their first win in quite a while.

Trinity Episcopal finally got the tough game they needed in the form of the River Oaks Mustangs.

After eight consecutive weeks of blowouts, the Saints had to battle the entire 48 minutes to secure Friday’s 21-16 win.

Trinity (9-0, 3-0 District 3-AA) trailed much of the game and didn’t take the lead for good until 7:16 remained in the fourth quarter on Wells Middleton’s 35-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Trinity coach David King said the close, hard-fought game is exactly what his team needed as it prepares for the playoffs in a few weeks.

“This is what we needed,” King said. “I’m proud of the kids for showing some toughness, integrity and character there at the end.”

Trinity can wrap up a district championship with a road win over Riverfield on Friday.

“We’ve got to come back, get strong and get up real quickly for a tough Riverfield team,” King said.

Trinity wasn’t the only team to lock up a playoff berth Friday night. Centreville Academy did the same thing, although the victory was just a little extra special.

It was Centreville coach Bill Hurst’s 300th career victory, but Hurst was more concerned about the fact that the Tigers (7-2, 4-1 District 5-AA) were in the playoffs and have a chance to defend their Class AA state championship.

“I’m tired of thinking about (the 300 wins),” Hurst said. “We’re in (the playoffs), that’s the main thing. We just wanted to get our toe in the door.

Centreville is finished with district play, and closes out its regular season with non-district games against Wilkinson County Christian and Trinity Episcopal.

Adams County Christian isn’t going to the playoffs this year, but it sure felt like it on Friday night when they defeated Prairie View Academy, 20-16 for their first win in their last 19 games.

It took a late goal-line stand to preserve the win, which came when Prairie View fumbled on the goal line in the closing minutes.

ACCS coach Paul Hayles has long talked about how hard the players are working and was extremely happy to see all that hard work come to fruition with a victory.

“I’m so proud of them because they never quit,” Hayles said. “They have fought through so much. To win the game, holding them out of the end zone on a goal-line stand, was something.”

It wasn’t all happiness for area MPSA schools. Huntington lost a chance for a District 6-A championship by falling 33-12 to Glenbrook on the road while Wilkinson County Christian saw its season continue to slip away with a 28-19 loss to CENLA Christian.

Huntington (6-3, 5-1) plays district foe Claiborne Academy for homecoming on Friday while WCCA hosts Centreville.