WICHITA FALLS — A fast start offensively and a clutch defensive performance throughout were all Abilene High needed Friday to down Justin Northwest 27-16 and advance to the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

AHS raced out to a 14-0 lead after a quarter, took a 20-7 advantage into halftime and never trailed the rest of the way despite frequent challenges by the Texans offense in the second half.

The Eagles, who turned Northwest away in the red zone twice in the third quarter, allowed just one second-half touchdown despite spending most of the final two periods on their own end of the field. That allowed the offense, which finished four of their five first-half possessions with points, to put the game away with their only scoring drive of the second half late in the fourth quarter.