NATCHEZ — After playing the top two teams in MAIS Class AA the past two weeks, the Trinity Episcopal Saints were in need of a break.

And they got one on Thursday night in the form of the Baton Rouge Home School Prep Bulldogs.

The Saints (9-0) were able to get the starters out of the game early against the overmatched Bulldogs (2-4) and cruised to a 53-8 victory.

Trinity’s defense dominated the Bulldogs, holding them to negative 24 total yards in the game and zero first downs.

Baton Rouge’s only touchdown came on a 60-yard kickoff return by Mitch Goudeau in the third quarter.

Trinity running back Kent King got the scoring started in the first quarter, as he scored on runs of 38 and 16 yards to put Trinity up 16-0 at the end of one quarter.

The Saints continued the scoring onslaught in the second quarter, erupting for three touchdowns before halftime.

Zach Rachal caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Faust on the first play of the quarter and Tip McKenzie later scored on a 39-yard run.

McKenzie closed out the scoring in the first half by returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown to put the Saints up 37-0 at halftime.

McKenzie then showed off his arm in the third quarter, as he threw two touchdown passes in the period.

The first was a 20-yarder to Daniel Dunaway and the second was a 16-yard throw to Jake Winston.

The Trinity seniors played just the first quarter and Saints coach David King got everybody, including junior high players, in the game in the second half.

Trinity scored just two points in the fourth quarter when Caleb Gillespie blocked a Baton Rouge punt out the back of the end zone.

King was the leading rusher for the Saints, gaining 81 yards on just four carries while McKenzie completed 4 of 5 passes for 102 yards and Winston caught two passes for 64 yards.

Trinity will play its first and only District 6-A game of the year next Friday night against Tallulah Academy.