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Fast start helps Frisco Centennial clinch playoff berth, tie for 9-4A lead

FRISCO — Quarterback Lamar Jordan came out firing, and Frisco Centennial wasted little time in locking up a playoff berth Friday night against The Colony.

Jordan hit nine of his first 10 passes as Centennial rolled to a 36-0 District 9-4A victory at Frisco ISD Memorial Stadium.

Centennial, No. 8 in SportsDay’s Class 4A area rankings, improved to 8-1 and 5-1 in 9-4A, while clinching a Division I playoff berth.

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Prosper, also 5-1, locked up a 4A Division II playoff berth Thursday with its 28-13 victory against Frisco Liberty. Frisco made it a three-way tie for the district lead with its 51-9 victory over Frisco Heritage on Friday.

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Centennial coach Mark Howard said the playoff implications were not lost on him or his team, which won its fourth consecutive game.

“This locked up a playoff spot for us,” Howard said. “In addition, we’re playing for a district championship next week [against Frisco Heritage]. That … that was our goal at the start of the season.”

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Jordan, an Arkansas commit who threw for 205 yards and four touchdowns, guided Centennial to a 19-0 first-quarter lead. Then, the Centennial defense put the clamps on The Colony, limiting the visitors to 72 yards total offense and three first downs.

“Defensively, they’re the best team we’ve played all year — and that’s the difference,” The Colony coach Rudy Rangel said.

Jordan was most effective in the first half. He threw scoring passes to Cody Bagwell and Stoney Hawkins on Centennial’s first two series to take a 14-0 lead.

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Centennial’s defense pinned The Colony deep on its next possession, forcing Noe Villareal to punt from his end zone. Centennial lineman Kevin Smith got his left hand on Villareal’s kick and slapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety, making it 16-0.

Centennial stretched the lead to 19-0 on Austin Shoemate’s 20-yard field goal late in the first quarter.

The rest of the way, Jordan added scoring passes to Jacob Atchley and Hawkins, Shoemate tacked on another field goal and the Centennial defense continued to exert its will. The Colony was also shackled with 17 penalties for 146 yards.

Jordan’s early performance helped, “but our defense played lights out,” Howard said.

Follow Tommy Cummings on Twitter at @tommycummings.