By Joe Crowe, For The Tribune
CENTER POINT — The Center Point High Eagles secured a playoff berth in their Friday night win over St. Clair County’s Fighting Saints, with a final score of 52 to 16.
The win marks first time in 21 years that the Eagles have made the playoffs four straight years.
The win sets Center Point at 4-1 in 5A Region 6, while St. Clair plummets to 0-5.
Troy Bruce caught a pass from Jabari Collier for the first score of the night.
St. Clair County got on the board early with a field goal. That moment of success was fleeting, however, as the Eagles were up 33-3 by the middle of the second quarter.
At the half, Center Point was up 46 to 3.
The third quarter was an eventful one for both teams, as they each scored, bringing the score to 52-9, Center Point.
Bruce made multiple touchdown runs, but he wasn’t the only Eagle to find the end zone. Bruce’s fellow junior, quarterback Jabari Collier also scored, as did senior DB Jaylen Holder and Ke’marius Horne.
St. Clair showed signs of life in the fourth quarter, bringing their score into the double digits, but the Eagles kept flying, and set the final score above the half-century mark, with the game concluding at 52-16.
Center Point Coach George Bates said tonight’s performance on the team’s Senior Night was important for the team’s upperclassmen.
“We really wanted those guys to be the first ones to make the playoffs four straight years in 21 years,” Bates said after the game.
Next week for Center Point is Corner. Bates predicted that a win there would place the Eagles in a prime spot in the playoff seeds. He also pointed out that the team gets a break between end of season and the post-season.
“We have a bye week between the last game and the first round of playoffs, so we’ll be fine.”