The Sumter Academy Eagles are going to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Sumter clinched their spot on the road in Prattville Friday night, defeating the East Memorial Christian Academy Warriors by a score of 40-6. The win bumps Sumter to 4-5 on the season, but more importantly puts them at 4-3 in AISA 1A West region play, good enough to wrap up fourth place in the region and a postseason berth.

EMCA fell to 1-8 on the season.

The Eagles took the game behind the strength of running back Matt Boler. Boler missed the previous week’s game against Shelby Co. with an injury but came out with plenty of energy Friday, scoring on a four-yard touchdown run in the first quarter that put the Eagles up 7-0 after Brandon Briggs’ point after.

Boler would score again before the half, dashing in from 19 yards out to make the halftime score 13-0 in favor of the visitors.

Sumter put the game away with an offensive explosion in the second half. Hunter Spidle scored on an 8-yard touchdown run and was followed by Boler’s third TD, this one coming on a 40-yard pass from Caine Conway that gave the Eagles a 26-0 lead.

Boler got his fourth score on a 27-yard fourth quarter run that pushed the lead to 33 after Briggs’s third point-after. Joseph Reed capped the scoring with a 30-yard run before the Warriors scored a consolation touchdown that made the final 40-6.

Sumter will look to even their overall record next week when they finish the season against Marengo Academy.