WEST POINT — West Point knew what was at stake.

After suffering three losses in a season for the first time since 2015, the Green Wave had to win their regular season finale against Center Hill to finish in the top four of Class 5A, Region 1 and earn a playoff berth to defend their four-peat.

Although Center Hill scored on its first play from scrimmage, West Point weathered the storm, controlled the line of scrimmage offensively and scored more than enough to walk away with a 40-21 victory Friday in West Point.

“We treated this game like a playoff game all week,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “Our guys locked in and focused. We’ve been practicing really well, and when we do that, it translates to the field.”

With the win, West Point finishes as the third seed in the region and will travel to Holmes County Central for its first-round matchup next week. Considering the Green Wave haven’t lost more than one game in each of the previous four seasons, opening the playoffs on the road will be new territory for them.

“We know it’s playoff time,” Chambless said. “We know what’s at stake; we’re going to play hard no matter where we go. The guys are up for it and excited, we’re ready to get rolling Monday.”

Center Hill running back Darryen Hobbs gave his team a lift by taking the opening kickoff to the West Point 1-yard line, then plunging into the end zone on a halfback dive on the team’s first play from scrimmage for an early 7-0 lead.

“We just don’t ever quit,” Chambless said. “We put them in situations like that in practice and the way we practice, we do a lot of goal line every day. To play from behind, we do well anyway, but with it being that early, we just knew a few plays and turnovers going our way we’d be fine.”

West Point answered on its opening drive, capped off by a 3-yard touchdown from Montavious Edwards to knot the game at 7-7. Then the Green Wave capitalized on a fumble recovery after Cameron Young punched in the first of his two touchdowns of the night.

“Our backs are a little beat up, so to have some young guys come in here and helping our guys get healthy, it means a lot to us,” Chambless said. “I feel like we have the best running backs in the state of Mississippi, hands down.”

The Green Wave went up by two possessions after running back JaKobe Pate delivered a 12-yard touchdown scamper, but Center Hill stayed in the contest following a 31-yard touchdown run from Hobbs to make the contest 20-14.

“My hat’s off to them,” Chambless said. “That offense, I haven’t slept all week trying to come up with ways to defend that offense. It’s a tough one to have to defend, especially when their season is on the line too. They gave us a good fight.”

But West Point’s offensive line was too physical up front, creating running lanes all night as Young finished off the next Green Wave drive with a touchdown.

“They’re really coming along,” Chambless said of his offensive line.

Chris Ivy added a rushing touchdown late for West Point, then quarterback Corbin Kelley connected with wideout Shawn Melton for an 18-yard touchdown pass for the last Green Wave score of the night.

West Point 40, Center Hill 21

CH 7 7 0 7 — 21

WP 14 12 7 7 — 40

First quarter

CH — Darryen Hobbs 1 run (Xzavier Paylor kick)

WP — Montavious Edwards 3 run (Alex Harper kick)

WP — Cameron Young 1 run (Harper kick)

Second quarter

WP — JaKobe Pate 12 run (kick failed)

CH — Hobbs 31 run (Paylor kick)

WP — Young 1 run (run failed)

Third quarter

WP — Chris Ivy 4 run (Harper kick)

Fourth quarter

WP — Shawn Melton 18 pass from Corbin Kelley (Harper kick)

CH — Hobbs 12 pass from Preston Newson (Paylor kick)

Hodge is the former sports editor for The Dispatch.