For the first time this season, Hinds AHS and Tallulah Academy are enjoying the sweet taste of success.

Each school picked up its first win last week after three disappointing losses. Hinds AHS beat Raymond, 22-17, while Tallulah outlasted Baton Rouge Christian 46-38. The point totals were not only season-highs for both Vicksburg-area schools, but were more than they had scored in their first three games combined.

“We scored on offense, defense and special teams. That’s huge,” first-year Tallulah coach Nick Evans said. “I’ve always said if you get defensive and special teams touchdowns, you’re probably going to win.”

Tallulah’s offensive explosion was a welcome sight.

The Trojans were shut out in their first two games, then scored 20 points in a loss to Glenbrook and 46 last week. Quarterback Hunter Windham has thrown for nearly 400 yards in the last two games, while tailback Cody Landrem had 235 yards against Baton Rouge Christian to surpass the 3,000-yard mark for his career.

For Hinds, a win was a necessary step in a larger scheme, coach Michael Fields said. The War Dawgs are battling depth issues, youth and inexperience this season, and having some success helped reinforce that what the coaches are teaching is actually working.

“There’s been more belief. That’s what we’re trying to get with the motivation and discipline part of it, is to get them to understand we have a winning tradition and they’re not going to be the ones to let it go,” Fields said.

Hinds faces Amite County this Friday.