Special to the Beacon

The Bishop Hendricken football team will make its 15th consecutive Super Bowl appearance on Sunday at Cranston Stadium, but it’s hardly business as usual this year.

The opponent is different, at least when it comes to this stage, as North Kingstown upset La Salle in Friday’s semifinals.

And Hendricken’s route to the title game was also unusual. On the same night that the Rams fell to the Skippers, the Hawks nearly met the same fate against Central. But a fourth-quarter rally and overtime heroics sent Hendricken to a 21-20 victory over the Knights for the Super Bowl berth.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Hendricken’s Ronjai Francis said. “We didn’t think it was going to be easy. We just do whatever it takes to get the dub.”

The one-point margin of victory was the smallest for the Hawks in the semifinal round since the first year of the streak in 2009, when they beat La Salle 35-34 to advance to the finals. More often, they’ve cruised into the Super Bowl.

Central gave the Hawks a stiff test this regular season. The same was true last year, but Hendricken dominated in the playoff rematch. Not so this time. Central took an early hit as Dylan Lynch staked the Hawks to the lead with a touchdown run. The Knights responded with an Avani Rodrigues score that tied the game. And their defense kept the Hawks off the board for the entirety of the second and third quarters. When Michael Toure plowed into the end zone late in the third quarter, the Knights led 14-7.

As they often do, the Hawks leaned on Francis as the fourth quarter began. The powerful senior running back got the Hawks going on the drive that ultimately tied the game. Lynch and Ben Tilton connected for a touchdown, and Scot Belford’s PAT made it 14-14 with seven minutes remaining.

“We’ve been in situations where we could lose, but we just stay composed,” Francis said. “We never lost hope.”

Neither team scored again in regulation, though the Hawks threatened. A Rushaune Vilane interception gave them a chance at a game-winning field goal, but the snap was bobbled by Lynch, and Belford couldn’t get off a good enough kick.

“The pressure got to us a little bit,” Belford said. “The hold got dropped and picked back up. It wasn’t enough time to really get it off. All the momentum got messed up there. But we didn’t really think much of it. We just kept going. That’s what our coaches always tell us.”

As the teams got set for overtime, the score from the La Salle-North Kingstown game was announced. Fans exchanged looks of disbelief - and a bit of trepidation that something similar could happen here.

Instead, the Hawks found a way. Rodrigues quickly scored on Central’s overtime possession, but the Knights were whistled for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the aftermath of the touchdown. That pushed the extra-point attempt back to the 18-yard line.

“When they got the penalty, I said to myself, ‘If we can block this kick, we’re going to win the ball game,’” Hendricken coach Keith Croft said. “I had confidence we were going to score and I had confidence that our snap, hold and kick would be good.”

The Hawks didn’t need to block it; the kick was well short. Hendricken took the ball and quickly found the end zone, as Francis muscled his way in. Belford lined up for the PAT. This time, there were no issues, and his kick split the uprights for the win.

“I got right in his face and said, ‘This is what you came to Hendricken for - to make this kick,’” Croft said of Belford, who transferred from Ponaganset this year. “He was fired up and he came through.”

“My holder Dylan Lynch - he’s been in pressure situations all year,” Belford said. “We looked at each other and said, ‘We do this every practice.’ It was just like every other kick. Got it through and after that, it was just onto the Super Bowl.”

Oscar Weah led Hendricken’s offensive attack with 65 yards rushing on 15 carries. Francis finished with 55 yards and a touchdown. Lynch had a passing touchdown and a rushing score.

La Salle’s loss Friday guarantees a new state champ this year. The Rams beat the Hawks for the title last year. Hendricken would have been out for revenge, but will instead look to get back on top against a different rival. Kickoff is set for noon on Sunday.

The Hawks and Skippers have played some thrillers in recent years, since North returned to powerhouse status and moved back to D-I. In the regular-season meeting this year, Hendricken won 21-14.

North Kingstown will be making its first top-division Super Bowl appearance since 1993, when it lost to Portsmouth. That was also the last state championship Super Bowl that had two public schools on the field.

It almost happened again this year, but the Hawks had other ideas.

“It was a night I think the whole state wanted,” Croft said. “But we’re still standing.”