Tom Centore has talked about his defense’s ability to be a strength all season long, but the Cranston East unit hasn’t always lived up to those expectations.

On Friday night, in the biggest game of the season, the defense proved its head coach right, and that group guided the ’Bolts to a third consecutive Division I playoff berth.

East defeated Barrington 13-7 in what amounted to a play-in game for the fourth and final D-I playoff spot. A victory by the ’Bolts put both team’s records at 4-4, with East earning the tiebreaker due to the head-to-head victory. Jumping into the postseason was made possible by Cumberland’s loss to unbeaten La Salle at the same time, dropping the Clippers to 3-5.

East will take on top-seeded, undefeated La Salle on Friday night on the road in the D-I semifinals, as it seeks a second straight berth in the Super Bowl.

There was plenty of praise to be dealt out after the game, but for East, the lion’s share went to the defense, which put together perhaps its most complete effort of the season in an absolute must-win affair.

“Defense, coach told us to dig deep, and we did,” said senior Marquem Monroe, who stood out defensively from the secondary and also rushed for 121 yards and scored both of East’s touchdowns. “This team is amazing. It gives a great effort every game.”

In beating the Eagles, East picked up its third consecutive win, rebounding from a 1-4 start. While it seemed dead in the water once it received its fourth loss, a 26-0 drubbing at the hands of Cumberland, the ’Bolts banded together and did everything they had to do to keep their championship dream alive.

“The last three weeks, things are different,” Centore said. “They’ve been different. They wanted it more, they practiced harder. They trusted themselves.”

East’s defensive unit held the third-highest scoring team in Division I to just 168 total yards, only 62 of which came on the ground. The ’Bolts dealt with a complex Barrington scheme that cycled back-and-forth between quarterbacks Jake Slye and Jake DeMarco, and the only time they got burned was on a trick play in which three different Barrington players touched the ball in the backfield before DeMarco threw a fade pattern to a wide open Slye from 30 yards out.

“I love offense, but I’ve been around for too long, and I know what wins championships – special teams, and defense,” Centore said. “They’re playing like a championship defensive team right now.”

East’s defining moment on defense came late in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. The ’Bolts had watched their 13-0 lead slip to 13-7, and then made matters worse when Monroe fumbled after a reception on his team’s 15-yard line with just over five minutes left.

Barrington recovered, putting it on the verge of a game-winning score.

East didn’t budge.

Slye ran for no gain on first down, and a pass from DeMarco to Slye was snuffed out for a 2-yard gain on second down. On third down, DeMarco ran for three yards before a rushing attempt by Christos Meltsakos was stuffed on fourth-and-5, giving the ball back to the East offense.

Justin Silva, Jay Bast, Tuti Wehjla and Monroe were all consistently around the ball in what amounted to the team’s most important four plays of the season.

“They’ve come into their own,” Centore said. “They’re doing some great things. And (defensive coordinator Ken Simone) is doing a great job scheming and planning and all those things.”

East took over on downs with 2:40 left, looking to salt the game away. The ’Bolts thought they had finished it off on the very next play, when Monroe burst through the right side for a 92-yard touchdown run, but it was called back due to holding.

Undeterred, East pounded Monroe on the next two plays, the second of which resulted in an 11-yard first-down carry. Inside two minutes, the ’Bolts ran three more plays, setting up a fourth-and-7 with four seconds left.

Quarterback John Anderson, who ran for 32 yards in his third straight start under center for the injured Darrio Carter, took the snap and ran backwards, killing the four seconds before sliding to the turf for the final play of the game.

“It feels good to get this win,” Monroe said. “In the playoffs now. My attention turns to La Salle Academy. That’s the team we want to take down.”

East took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on its opening drive, as it moved quickly from its own 40-yard line right down the field before Monroe punched the ball in from 5 yards out. Logan McConaghy’s extra point was good.

Barrington threatened to strike back in the second quarter, but a drive was halted on East’s 18-yard line when the ’Bolts sniffed out a fourth down fake field goal attempt.

The ’Bolts nursed their one-score lead into the second half until it forced a quick Barrington three-and-out – something it did on three consecutive series to start the second half – and Monroe broke free for a 55-yard touchdown run at the 7:56 mark of the third quarter.

Barrington cut into its deficit with a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, the 30-yard pass from DeMarco to Slye, and it actually drove all the way down to East’s 18-yard line on the next drive before turning the ball over on downs.

Eventually East had survived.

The ’Bolts joined Portsmouth and Hendricken as the only teams to qualify for the D-I postseason for a third straight year. The Hawks and Patriots will play in the other D-I semifinal on Friday night, at Hendricken.

The Super Bowl will be played on Saturday, Dec. 6.

“We’ve really just come a long way,” Centore said.