It’s been a long time coming, but the Dupo High School football team is moving on to the second round of the playoffs.

The Tigers (9-1) defeated Salt Fork at home Saturday, 28-7, for their first playoff win since 1994.

They say great players come to play in big games, and that was especially true for Dupo senior quarterback/defensive back/kicker Deegan Prater. He had a hand in all of his team’s points on this day.

Prater intercepted a Salt Fork pass and returned it 32 yards to open the scoring at 8:25 of the first quarter. He also kicked the extra point, putting Dupo up 7-0.

On the next possession for Salt Fork, Prater intercepted another pass and returned it 16 yards for a TD just more than a minute later. He missed that extra point attempt, but Dupo was up 13-0.

Then it was time for Prater to show off his quarterbacking skills. He threw a six-yard TD pass to Brady Portell at 3:07 of the first quarter, then ran in the two-point conversion to put the Tigers up 21-0.

In the middle of the second quarter, Prater’s 18-yard TD pass to Thinh Staggs was followed by a Prater extra point kick to give the host Tigers a convincing 28-0 lead.

Salt Fork finally scored on a long TD pass late in the first half, but that would be all of the scoring on this day. The defenses for both teams held strong.

Dupo will play next Saturday at Carrollton in a second round Class 1A playoff contest. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

For photos from Saturday’s win, click here.