NATCHEZ — Months of dedication, going all the way back to summer workouts, have gotten Trinity Episcopal School to this point in time.

For the Trinity seniors, tonight is not only the MAIS Class A South State championship — it’s also the last time they’ll be able to suit up in front of their home crowd.

Saints head coach David King said he thinks that fact will have his seniors ready to play.

“I think we have a great home atmosphere here,” King said. “These kids grow up watching the older kids play, and when it hits you that it’s the last game at home you’ll ever play, you want to be ready. There’s no doubt in my mind the seniors will come out ready.”

And that readiness the seniors will likely display will have to trickle down to the rest of the Saints players if they want to come out top against Riverfield Academy tonight.

“Riverfield is a well-coached, very physical football team,” King said. “They like to establish the run on offense and blitz and attack on defense.”

Blitzing usually opens up opportunities downfield for the offense, and King said his team would have to capitalize on those opportunities when they become available.

“We just have to spread the field and take advantage of our weapons on the outside when we see fit,” King said. “We blitz a lot ourselves, so we know that the opportunities for big plays are there when teams blitz.”

The importance of this game is not lost on senior lineman Deacon Newman, who still has memories of the Saints’ trip to the Class AA South State championship in 2007, when the Saints lost to Centreville Academy.

“It’s just a crazy feeling knowing how close we are to achieving our goals,” Newman said. “We just have to make sure to keep everyone focused.”

The playoffs have brought a different attitude to the team in terms of how the players practice and play, Newman said.

“We’re striving for perfection,” Newman said. “There’s no horsing around. We just go out and work. The intensity is there: We’re more physical and we’re staying with out blocks better.”

Fellow senior R.J. Fleming has also noticed the amplified focus of his teammates since the postseason began.

“Since game one, Coach King has told us that he wants us to play our best at the end of the season,” Fleming said. “Our work ethic has gotten a lot better. There’s a big sense of urgency.”

Focus and physical play will likely be the deciding factor tonight, King said.

“I think the fact that we’re a wide open offense tends to give us the reputation that we’re not physical,” King said, “but I believe our bunch can match Riverfield’s physical play.”

The Saints (10-3) will kick off at 7 tonight.