WOODVILLE &045; This time around things are different.

This time Wilkinson County Christian Academy isn’t stepping into uncharted waters tonight when they enter the postseason. The Rams will play at Tallulah Academy in the opening round of the MPSA Class A playoffs with a little point to prove.

They’re a good football team that deserves to be in the playoffs after last year’s opening-round loss to Glenbrook.

&uot;It allowed them to experience everything (last year), so it’s not so new,&uot; WCCA head coach Paul Hayles said. &uot;Last year everything was, ‘Let’s deal with this.’ You’re dealing with an something when you’ve never been there before. This year’s team is more comfortable. Their mindset is to play ball as long as we can. They want to play and continue playing.&uot;

The loss last year to Glenbrook may have had the Rams wide-eyed a bit in their 20-6 loss in Minden, La., last postseason. They’ve got that on their side along with Friday’s 33-14 loss at Trinity Episcopal last week in a playoff-type atmosphere contest that determined the district championship.

It was a game the Rams didn’t feel they played their best, so it’s more motivation heading into the postseason.

&uot;Trinity Episcopal is a fine football team, and we felt we had to have our A game to beat them,&uot; Hayles said. &uot;We definitely didn’t bring it, but hat’s off to Trinity. I was really worried Monday. You worry coming off a loss about that, but they came in with their attitudes good. They’ve performed well in practice this week.&uot;

The Rams had breakdowns moving the football, an area that was their strong suit for several weeks coming in with their abundance of size and speed on offense. The Saints’ linebackers exploited the offense, and running backs Duston Dor and Travis Allen had just 12 yards at half before finishing the game with a combined 111 yards.

Dor hurt his back in the second quarter and took a shot to the ear on the onside kick near the end of the game Friday, but he will play today.

It’s the main source of offense for the Rams, and they’ll have to get it back together Friday against a tough Tallulah squad. The Trojans won the District 5-A title despite dropping a 7-6 contest to Porter’s Chapel midway through the season.

The Eagles didn’t make the playoffs.

&uot;They were upset by that one team in district, and my understanding was it was in a driving rainstorm,&uot; Hayles said. &uot;They’re one of the best teams in MPSA. I think they’re one of the top teams. We have to go in and perform and do our best, or it’s going to be a long night.&uot;

The Trojans defense is tough, having posted four shutouts this season and allowed two or more touchdowns only twice (Claiborne, Briarfield). The Trojans have a number of players back from their playoff team a season ago that lost to Trinity Episcopal in the second round, and one defensive lineman stands out more than the others at 6-7.