POCATELLO - It didn't pack the stands the way the following game did, but Century's 20-7 victory over Preston on Friday at Holt Arena sure meant plenty to the Diamondbacks.

For one, it guaranteed them a spot in the 4A state football playoffs. It also earned them their fourth victory, a shot at a claiming a district title next week against Pocatello and a winning record for the first time this season.

More important than all of that, though, the victory gave the Diamondbacks a sense that they belonged on the Holt Arena turf as much as the Highland players who stormed past them to take the field for the Black and Blue Bowl.

"It means new life for Century," quarterback Michael Semons said. "It brought a lot of confidence to us. Some people didn't think we could win a game."

Beating Preston was no small feat, either. The Indians lost for just the third time in seven games this season. By virtue of this defeat as well as their 14-12 loss to district foe Pocatello earlier this year, they won't make the playoffs despite their 4-3 overall record.

That senior running back Brayden Shepherd wasn't active certainly hurt Preston, as players and coaches admitted after the game. But three lost fumbles proved more costly for the Indians, and the Diamondbacks (4-3 overall, 1-0 4A Fifth District) took advantage of those miscues by monopolizing possession.

In the second half, Century ran 46 plays, gained 272 yards and scored three touchdowns. During the same span, Preston didn't score, only ran 24 plays and gained just 69 yards from scrimmage.

The Indians also lost three fumbles and had a punt blocked in the latter half. Two of those miscues directly led to two Century touchdowns.

"We shot ourselves in the foot with our fumbles," said senior Brandon Ostler, who scored the Indians' lone touchdown on a 10-yard run in the second quarter.

Not that the Indians were taking anything away from the Diamondbacks offense.

Semons wasn't at his best, but he didn't throw an interception or fumble, and he still threw for 165 yards on 12-of-26 attempts. He also started the Diamondbacks' scoring early in the second half after a lackluster first-half performance.

Midway through the third quarter, Semons dropped a swing pass into Logan Standley's arms at the Preston 45-yard line. The senior wide receiver sped to the 35, where he stopped to let a Preston defender run by him. He then burst down the sideline the rest of the way for a 53-yard touchdown.

That cut Preston's lead to a point, 7-6. But junior Tanner Teichert, forced into kicking duties after starter Jase Johnson was injured in the first half, saw his extra-point attempt blocked, and Preston preserved its lead.

Not that it mattered much.

Five minutes later, senior Cory Labrum plucked the football off the leg of Preston's punter, giving Century possession at the Indians 24-yard line.

On third-and-10, Semons calmly flipped a middle screen pass over Preston's blitzing linemen, and junior Rhys Borchert took it 24 yards, untouched and into the end zone. The ensuing two-point conversion gave the Diamondbacks a 14-7 lead.

"We knew about their screens and their draws, and that we had to look for those," Ostler said. "They didnt show any the whole first half, so we weren't watching for them any more. Then in the second half they started throwing them at us, and we got burned a few times."

Paced by junior Terrance Quenton's 16-carry, 93-yard game, Century continued to gobble the clock from there. Orie Katsilometes added 86 yards on nine carries, and Semons picked up crucial third downs with sneaks up the middle en route to 25 rushing yards of his own.

Standley finished with a team-high five receptions for 73 yards, balancing Preston leader Chaz Spackman, who reeled in four balls for 91 yards - including a 68-yard catch that setup Ostler's first-half touchdown run.

Borchert scored the Diamondacks' final touchdown from one-yard out with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter.

Century's victory setup a crucial clash with Pocatello (6-1, 1-0) next Friday at Holt Arena, where the 4A Fifth District champion will be determined.

Preston will miss the playoffs with its 0-2 district record, and its season will conclude Friday at home against Burley.

"I told them nothing I can say can make it any better, and I asked them to finish strong for me next week. They're a good group of young men," said Preston coach Shawn Marlow. "We had a hard time getting the ball going (against Century). Coach (Nate) Borchert has done a very, very good job turning Century around. They've put together an excellent team."