And then there was one.
For the first time since 2017, the Saugus Centurions are back in the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section football playoffs.
And in each of the past three games, the Centurions have done so winning in come-from-behind fashion.
In week 10 against Golden Valley, the Centurions came back to win in the final minutes of the game to clinch a playoff berth.
In the first round against Schurr, the Centurions trailed the Spartans 19-7 at halftime and came back to win the game. And last week, the Centurions walked off the Calabasas Coyotes with Jacob Blickhan delivering the winning kick.
If there is one thing for certain regarding Saugus football, it’s not to count the Centurions out.
Out of the past three wins, the one common denominator is that every victory came at home, and this week, the Centurions will hit the road for the first time since Oct. 3.
The Centurions will have a long road trip to Apple Valley High School, roughly 86 miles from Saugus High School.
Friday’s night matchup is going to be tough physically for Saugus, but the Centurions have the tools to pull out a victory.
The Apple Valley Sun Devils are among four-seeded teams in the Division 7 bracket and are coming off a 28-20 road win over Victor Valley.
If there is one aspect the Centurions have over the Sun Devils, it’s offense.
All year long, the Centurions averaged 361 yards on offense per game, nearly a 100-yard difference over Apple Valley’s 267 yards.
If there is one player the Centurions offense can use another big day from, it’s senior running back Ty Hall.
Last week, Hall ran for 162 yards on 36 carries and four touchdowns in the overtime win over Calabasas. In the first round, the senior ran for 109 yards and a touchdown and has been one of the biggest contributors to the Centurions’ success these past few weeks.
If the Centurions want to win, they’ll need a big day from him and their defense, too.
Apple Valley’s offense ran for 271 yards and tallied 357 total yards in last week’s win with running back Noah Hardeman running for 159 yards and a touchdown.
As the last few weeks have shown, the Centurions’ defense is more than capable of holding their opposition’s offense at bay asopponents are scoreless in the second half in the Centurions’ two playoff wins.
Friday’s game between the Centurions and the Sun Devils is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Apple Valley High School.
