NATCHEZ — On senior night, C.J. Chatman took the field as the starting running back for the (4-5) Trinity Saints in a 52-14 win against Glenbrook Academy. Three days prior, he lost that starting running back position before earning it back.

“Believe it or not, we had a come to Jesus meeting Tuesday,” Trinity head coach Zach Rogel said. “I told him he was done at (running back). He wasn’t getting it done, and the effort was lacking.”

Chatman, who would score on two of Trinity’s first three possessions on power runs, couldn’t believe he lost his starting position days before his last regular season home game.

“I was shocked,” Chatman said. “I don’t think of myself highly, but I thought I was doing decent. We looked on film, and I saw myself lagging. I had to pick that up. I went somewhere, thought about it and went back to coach two hours later. I said, ‘I’m sorry, no disrespect, but I just can’t do it. I’m going to stay at halfback, and I’m going to work hard for it.’”

Rogel said Chatman earned the right to start against Glenbrook, and after his second rushing score in the second quarter, the Saints led 20-0 against a winless Glenbrook Academy.

In the Saints’ lopsided win, Trinity scored on its first four possessions.

Glenbrook Academy kicked an onside kick at the beginning of the game, which the Saints recovered and struck quick with the short field on a 42-yard pass from Kevontaye Caston to Demond Fleming. Rogel said his team anticipated the trickery.

“We’ve been telling them since Monday that they were going to kick an onside kick,” Rogel said. “The very first kickoff was an onside kick. We lost one later in the game, and I don’t know how we possibly could have practiced it more. I might be the best onside kicker in the state right now after practicing it all week.”

While Trinity only amassed 275 yards in the win, most of its scores came on big passing plays and turnovers.

In the second quarter, Caston connected with Cade Wells on a 75-yard touchdown pass to give the Saints a 28-8 lead before Caston scored from five yards out before the half to give Trinity a 34-8 halftime advantage.

Caston scored his fourth touchdown of the game when he found his brother Jakarius Caston on the Saints’ first drive of the second half, scoring from 35 yards out. Later in the quarter, Demond Fleming scooped up a fumble that was forced by David Jackson and ran it back 80 yards to give the Saints a 46-14 lead in the third.

In the fourth quarter, Wells picked off Glenbrook quarterback Seth Tyler and returned the interception approximately 70 yards for the touchdown.

Despite the big plays from the Saints, Rogel was displeased with five penalties and mental errors in the ballgame. He also wasn’t thrilled about his team giving up 200 rushing yards to Glenbrook, especially when running back Drennon Keen amassed most of his 144 rushing yards after contact.

With one game left in the regular season — a showdown against WCCA that should the Saints win, Trinity would force a three-way tie in the district — Rogel wants to see a near flawless performance.

“Any win is a good win, but I thought we played very sloppy,” Rogel said. “The defense has to bow up. We know what we’re going to see next week.”