NATCHEZ — The Trinity Episcopal football team’s secondary has made opponents pay for putting the ball in the air against them the past two weeks.

In wins over Centreville and Bowling Green the Trinity defense has intercepted five passes and returned four of those for touchdowns, although one return against Centreville was called back on a penalty. Safeties Tip McKenzie and Jake Winston and cornerback Tanner Cage each had an interception return for a touchdown in the past two games.

This week, Trinity’s secondary will need to be just as sharp when they face Silliman Institute (2-1), a team that throws the ball more often than both of the Saints’ last two opponents, defensive coordinator Richy Spears said.

“Film-wise we’ve seen that (Silliman) likes to spread it out more,” Spears said. “(Centreville and Bowling Green) are more power teams, and Silliman likes to spread it out and throw more.

“They look pretty physical up front and skill-wise they are pretty good.”

Spears said his defensive unit has focused this week on learning their assignments and coverages to prepare for more of a passing attack. But Spears said the key to stopping Silliman’s offense will be solid play from his defensive line.

“We have to pressure the quarterback,” he said. “We can not let him stand back there.”

Spears said defensive linemen Sky Logan and Zach Wilson will be two players that will have to get to the quarterback for the Saints’ defense.

Pass defense was a key in the Saints’ opening season loss to Jefferson County as well. Trinity allowed three touchdown passes in the final quarter and lost the game 28-17. But Winston, Cage and McKenzie, along with many other Trinity players, were limited with cramps in the contest.

Spears said offensively Trinity has worked on getting better blocking from its offensive line this week.

“They just have to keep getting better as a unit,” he said.

More than X’s and O’s, Trinity has worked on becoming a unified team this week, Spears said.

“We focused on coming together and being team-oriented,” he said. “The intensity has to get better, but the main thing is working together more as a team, and finding that one heart beat.”

Spears said a turning point of that process came at halftime of the Centreville game when Trinity trailed 21-7.

“Really the second half of the Centreville game was huge,” he said. “They were challenged at halftime, and they performed big, because they came together to perform well.”

Trinity (2-1) will look to win its third-straight when it hosts Silliman at 7 p.m. Friday