Kevontaye Caston tossed three touchdown passes, returned a kickoff for a touchdown and had a rushing touchdown as the Trinity Episcopal Day School Saints took down Central Holmes 40-26 in the first round of the MAIS Class AA State Playoffs.

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel amazing,” Trinity head coach Zach Rogel said. “But it is on to Columbus Christian now.”

It was an early battle for the Saints, who ran into what Rogel called a tough Central Holmes team.

“They had 10 seniors who did not want it to be their last football game,” Rogel said.

Trinity was able to strike on the first play of the game with Caston finding younger brother Jakarius Caston from 52 yards out.

Central Holmes would answer, though, when James Cobb rumbled into the end zone after a 32-yard run, his first touchdown of three on the night, to tie the game at six.

Caston then took the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown to put the Saints ahead once again, but later in the first quarter, Cobb was able to find the end zone from 39 yards out to give the Trojans the lead.

But the high scoring first quarter wasn’t over just yet, with Caston throwing his second touchdown, this time to David Jackson from 14 yards out to give the Saints the lead, which they would hold for the rest of the game.

Caston scored the only points of the second quarter on a seven yard run, giving Trinity a 26-13 lead going into halftime.

Central Holmes’ Turner Hathcock pulled the Trojans within six on a 5-yard touchdown run in the third, but Trinity would answer with a score of their own as Caston found Tommy McCoy on a 27- yard touchdown pass, his third.

Both teams would add a touchdown in the fourth, a 3-yard run from Cobb for the Trojans and a 65-yard pass from Caston to David Jackson for the Saints.

Caston finished the night 10-of-22 for 210 yards and also had no interceptions.

Caston is one of the many sophomore players on the roster that Rogel said grew up during the game.

“I told them after the game that I felt like they became closer to being men,” he said. “They learned how to win together, and it was a nice thing to watch. It has been a progressive thing, and regardless of how the season turns out, we are winners in that aspect.”

Columbus Christian, who defeated Desoto 34-14, is next on the slate for Trinity.

The Saints will once again be hosting the game.

“You always like playing at home,” Rogel said. “We take great pride in representing ‘The Pit’. It gets the kids amped up and is an intimidation factor. Anything that gets the kids up, I’m all for.”