The CenTex Barracudas wide receiver said he told everyone this week that the Alaska Wild was going to be tough and play them to the end.

Well, the Wild played to the end, only because there was nowhere to hide.

James Brown threw five touchdown passes, including three to Coleman, and the defense held Alaska to 20 yards en route to a 71-18 victory Saturday night in the first-ever Intense Football League playoff game at Bell County Expo Center.

“I guess I lied,” Coleman said with a smile. “But I’m glad I did. We really took advantage of them tonight.”

It didn’t help that the Wild, which finished 5-10, had five starters injured, including quarterback Keith Smith, and brought only 18 players to Texas.

“I would say yes,” CenTex first-year coach Chris Duliban said when asked if he was surprised that his team was so dominant. “But they only brought 18 players and we knew we could wear them down. So we let our guys know that and they took it to them.

“Everybody was just chomping at the bit to get back out there. We haven’t played in three weeks and we were looking forward to getting on the field. We are very happy with the win.”

Next Saturday the Barracudas will travel to battle the Corpus Christi Hammerheads in Robstown - where they lost 70-54 three weeks ago to end the regular season - in a semifinal at 6:05 p.m.

“It’s going to be like two heavyweight boxers going at it,” Duliban said. “The team that stays poised the longest will win it. And we know it’s going to be an emotional game.”

But the big win over Alaska, which has not won a road game in its two years of existence, definitely gave the Barracudas some confidence.

“We had to get Alaska out of the way first,” Coleman said. “Corpus wasn’t on our minds at all. But we need to be on theirs.”

The Barracudas (9-6) had a full roster of players ready to dish out punishment, and they didn’t give Wild QB Darnell Lovett a friendly welcome to Texas - sacking him seven times, constantly hitting him as he threw the ball and keeping him under pressure all night.

Lovett’s first pass was a sign of things to come, as defensive back Greg Brown intercepted it near the goal line. Seven plays later David Banks scored the game’s first points on a 2-yard run and Copperas Cove product Lance Garner added the first of his 10 extra points for a 7-0 lead with just under 10 minutes to play in the first quarter.

It didn’t get any better for the Wild. It failed to gain any yards on its next drive, which began at its 19-yard line, and tried to make something happen with a little trickery.

The Wild lined up for a field-goal attempt but instead tried a pooch kick to a receiver - any kick in the IFL is a live ball after 10 yards. Unfortunately for the Wild, Roderick Knight (Cameron Yoe) fielded the kick and returned it 32 yards for a 14-0 lead with just under 6 minutes to go in the half.

And the rout was on.

“They came out and had a totally different look from the last time we saw them,” said defensive back Rolandus Johnson (Mary Hardin-Baylor), who had two interceptions. “We really didn’t know what to expect from them. But we pride ourselves on our defense.”

But the offense was clicking, too. Brown, who completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards, was hitting all ends of the field with his passes, allowing CenTex to build a 42-12 halftime lead.

And then the Barracudas just had fun in the second half.

Brown connected with Coleman for two touchdown passes in the third quarter, and the Barracudas added an extra point for a 57-12 lead when the Wild failed to advance a kick out of the end zone.

Coleman usually does his damage on kick returns - he has a league-high six scores - but the Wild wasn’t about to give him any opportunities, opting for squib kicks and kicks out of bounds.

That was fine with him. He led all receivers with four catches for 54 yards and three touchdowns.

“It’s frustrating,” Coleman said of not being able to grab any returns. “I don’t think I’ve had a true return in three games now. But hey, they want to give us the ball at the 25 or beyond, we’ll take that, too.”

The Barracudas slowed down a bit in the final frame and took James out of the game after he found Reggie Smith for his fifth touchdown pass of the night early in the quarter.

But the Barracudas still had one more score to grab. And it came with 5:15 left in the game as Lovett again was under pressure and put up a pass that appeared to be intended for Johnson, who caught it in stride along the left sideline. Johnson turned and took off the other way for a 30-yard interception return and a score.

“The first thing I was thinking was, ‘Catch the ball,’” Johnson said with a laugh. “Then when I turned around I saw all their big guys go to the left, so I figured I could get by them. And I got one good block at the end and was in.”

And Alaska was out.

mhood@temple-telegram.com