SLIPPERY ROCK — Not having a bye in the first round of the playoffs like last season was a better setup for Slippery Rock High School sophomore defensive lineman Ryan Dutton.

He and the rest of the Rockets' football program didn't want to wait another week to stop its streak of three one-and-done playoff trips.

“It was great to be able to have no break and go straight into it,” Dutton said. “We were saying '0-3' all week because we've lost the past few years. This week, it was come in and make it 1-3.”

The Rockets got the result they were looking for. Slippery Rock exploded for 27 points in the third quarter of a 62-21 first-round District 10 Class AA playoff win over Seneca Saturday night at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

It was the Rockets' first playoff win since they beat Sharon 27-10 on Nov. 10, 2008.

“I don't think they look in the past too much,” fourth-year Slippery Rock coach Brendan Hathaway said. “They've been playing in the moment. This is a great group of seniors. They deserve it.”

The Rockets will play three-time defending district champion Hickory in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Saturday at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.

Slippery Rock defeated the Hornets, 14-7, Sept. 26.

Seneca (7-4) didn't make it easy on the Rockets.

Slippery Rock (11-0) built a 14-0 lead in the first six minutes, scoring on touchdown runs by Ryan Lauster and Trenton Porter.

The Bobcats scored on their next two possessions, tying the game at 14 when Adam Fish, who finished with a game-high 144 rushing yards, scored on a 27-yard run with 11 minutes, 56 seconds left in the first half.

“We didn't want to panic,” said Rockets junior running back Trenton Porter, who finished with 122 yards and three touchdowns. “We wanted to go out there and respond to everything we had.”

Ken Anderson gave Slippery Rock the lead for good, 21-14, two plays later.

Anderson took a handoff around the end, stiff-armed a tackler to the ground and raced 54 yards for a touchdown.

Slippery Rock rushed for 328 yards.

“We needed to get in the game a little bit,” Hathaway said. “I don't know if we were looking ahead or what, but we were missing some assignments on defense and offense. We settled down at halftime, made some adjustments, but we did more of when we practice during the week.”

Slippery Rock scored at a dizzying pace in the third quarter. The Rockets capped their first drive with a 21-yard touchdown run by Porter.

Seneca quarterback Jarrett Pound was intercepted by Jared McDowell two plays later.

Porter scored again, this time on a 4-yard run, extending the Rockets' lead to 34-21 with 8:45 left in the third quarter.

“I think coach Hathaway took his foot and put it up their backside,” Seneca coach Dave Frank joked about Slippery Rock's hot start after halftime. “In the second half, they made some small adjustments to take advantage of our scheme.”

The Bobcats turned the ball over on downs on their next possession.

Slippery Rock responded with the team's first touchdown pass of the season, a 38-yard strike from Jake Whitmer to Brady Kadlubek.

Whitmer capped the scoring in the third quarter by scoring on a 29-yard run.

“We kept running the ball, kept moving it on them and stopping them on defense,” Porter said. “We gave them everything we got.”

Slippery Rock crossed playoff win off its goal list. The Rockets are hoping to learn from their slow start as they pursue a district title.

“I think it gives us an example,” said Dutton, who registered a sack. “We have to come out harder and we can't sit back and feel it out. We have to play fast and finish them from the start.”

Slippery Rock 62, Seneca 21

Seneca 7 7 0 7 — 21

Slippery Rock 14 7 27 14 — 62

SE SR

14 First Downs 18

27-196 Rushes-Yards 44-328

76 Passing Yards 38

9-20-2 Comp.-Att.-Int 1-2-0

272 Total Yards 366

2-2 Fumbles-Lost 2-1

First Quarter

SR — Ryan Lauster 5 run (Mark Cessar kick), 7:56

SR — Trenton Porter 11 run (Cessar kick), 6:28

SE — Cody Pregler 4 pass from Jarrett Pound (Nick Johnson kick), 1:46

Second Quarter

SE — Adam Fish 27 run (Johnson kick), 9:11

SR — Ken Anderson 54 run (Cessar kick), 8:09

Third Quarter

SR — Porter 21 run (kick blocked), 9:45

SR — Porter 4 run (Cessar kick), 8:45

SR — Brady Kadlubek 38 pass from Jake Whitmer (Cessar kick), 2:14

SR — Whitmer 29 run (Cessar kick), 2:14

Fourth Quarter

SR — Whitmer 7 run (Cessar kick), 11:05

SR — Lauster 66 interception return (Cessar kick), 7:00

SE — Fish 13 run (Johnson kick), :27.5

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Seneca, Fish 16-144, Pound 6-31, Steve Stroup 3-14, Team 1-4, Chris Hibbler 1-3. Slippery Rock, Porter 14-122, Jake Whitmer 11-55, Ken Anderson 1-54, Ryan Lauster 4-44, Jared McDowell 8-38, Travis Lauster 5-17, Brandon McKnight 1-(-2).

Passing: Seneca, Pound 9-20-76-2. Slippery Rock, Whitmer 1-2-38-0.

Receiving: Seneca, Pregler 2-30, Stroup 2-28, Jaime Sommers 2-18, Garrett Duda 1-18, Hibbler 2-(-1).