Centennial ascends to the next level with Class 6A playoff victory over Rosemount

A year ago, the Centennial football team met in the end zone at Stillwater High School's stadium following their Class 6A state quarterfinal loss to Rosemount.

"We told our kids: 'Next year, we're taking the step,' " Centennial coach Mike Diggins said. "'We're going to move on in state this year.'

"And that's what our goal was and our theme was all year."

That step was advancing to the state semifinals. The Cougars, ranked No. 4 in Class 6A, took that leap with a 24-0 victory over the Irish on Thursday.

Same opponent, same stadium, a nearly opposite result.

The victory sends Centennial (10-1) to the state semifinals for the first time in 39 years, since it finished as the Class 1A runner-up in 1984.

"Our dream of going to the Bank has finally come," senior running back Maverick Harper said. "But we're not done yet. We've still got two more."

Harper ran for more than 100 yards in a game for the seventh time this season, passing 1,200 yards for the season. His 19th rushing touchdown of the season made it a 24-0 game in the fourth quarter.

Centennial started with a nine-play, 75-yard opening drive for a 7-0 lead. Coming out of the halftime break up 10-0, Diggins said the game plan was to keep running the ball. When it wasn't Harper, senior quarterback Daylen Cummings, Ty Burgoon or Marcus Whiting took turns carrying the football.

The Cougars strongly set the tone in the second half, coming out with a 15-play drive for 65 yards that took 8:42 off the clock and ended with a Cummings 5-yard touchdown run and a 17-0 lead.

"When they're ahead on the chains, they're really good at what they do," Rosemount coach Jeff Erdmann said. "And if you can't get them into a third-and-6 and that type of thing, it makes it hard."

Rosemount (6-5), last year's Class 6A runner-up, managed only two first downs in the first half before running only eight offensive plays in the second half with a three-and-out, an interception and two fumbles halting drives.