HATTIESEBURG &8212; Natchez will have to wait at least another year for a playoff berth.

Hattiesburg running back Jonathan Kirksey scored four touchdowns to power the homestanding Tigers (7-3) to a 34-13 victory over Natchez on Friday night at D.L. Patrick Stadium. Hattiesburg claimed a playoff spot with the win.

While the loss was disappointing, it couldn&8217;t mask the Bulldogs&8217; rapid improvement from a 1-10 squad in 2004 to a program on the brink of a playoff berth.

&8220;Not many people expected us to be better, but we were better,&8221; said senior defensive end Marcus Johnson.

&8220;Yes, it hurts not to get in the playoffs. We haven&8217;t been since 1997, and all of us seniors wanted to do it. We wanted to show that Natchez football is heading in the right direction.

&8220;Natchez is a program on the rise with Coach (Lance) Reed and his staff. I just want to say I love those guys.&8221;

The program&8217;s improvement provided little comfort for a Natchez team that rode a three-game winning streak into Friday&8217;s showdown with Hattiesburg.

Natchez reached several milestones this season &8212; winning a district game for the first time in three years and then winning three straight district games, as well as finishing at .500.

Reed conceded that his team showed &8220;tremendous improvement&8221; this season, but he stressed the team is not satisfied.

&8220;We don&8217;t want to settle for what we&8217;ve accomplished,&8221; Reed said. &8220;There&8217;s more improvement to come.&8221;

Natchez got off to a slow start against Hattiesburg, as the Tigers parlayed good field position into a 19-0 lead.

Hattiesburg needed seven plays to go 55 yards on the Tigers&8217; second possession, and fullback Chris Burns scored on a 4-yard run.

After Natchez gained 9 yards on a fake punt on fourth and 10, HHS moved 34 yards in five plays. Kirksey scored on a 7-yard run.

Hattiesburg&8217;s Josh Wiley then returned an interception 41 yards to the Natchez 4, and Kirksey scored on the next play for a 19-0 lead.

Reed dismissed the notion that his team was too nervous at the beginning of the game.

&8220;They were excited, but I don&8217;t know about nervous,&8221; he said.

The Bulldogs (5-5) then drove 54 yards in four plays, thanks to a 32-yard run by Latarus Frazier. Jason Bruce scored on a 2-yard run to cut the deficit to 19-7 with 6:29 to play in the first half.

Hattiesburg answered with a seven-play, 45-yard drive, which Kirksey capped with a 30-yard run. The Tigers led 27-7 at halftime.

Natchez rallied early in the third quarter when Johnson recovered a fumble &8212; the only one of Hattiesburg&8217;s seven fumbles that the Tigers lost &8212; and Bruce scored two plays later on a 41-yard run.

&8220;That quarterback, you can&8217;t tackle him in a phone booth,&8221; Hattiesburg coach Buddy Duke said.

On Hattiesburg&8217;s ensuing possession, a holding penalty forced the Tigers into a third-and-21 situation. Kirksey ran off tackle for a 24-yard gain, and he scored on a 3-yard run to cap the scoring with 1:25 to play in the third quarter.