Killingly — Another opponent came to play football at Killingly High School on Friday night. The result for the opponent was like all the others have been in the last five years: Meet the new loss, same as the old loss.

The Red Hawks controlled the clock, the line of scrimmage and ultimately the game — again — dispatching New London 21-7 in an Eastern Connecticut Conference Division I game.

Killingly completed a 9-1 regular season (3-1 in the division) and goes back to the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The playoff opponent in Class M will be determined after the Thanksgiving Day games.

"It feels great," quarterback Jacob Nurse said. "To get back in the playoffs and have a chance ... it's a dream come true."

Sophomore Jack Sharpe ran for 190 yards — eclipsing 1,500 for the season — and scored two touchdowns. Sharpe scored both touchdowns in the first half as the Red Hawks ran to a 14-0 lead at halftime. Killingly ran 23 of the game's first 26 plays.

"Killingly is known to pound the ball," Sharpe said.

New London (4-5, 0-3) struggled to manage much offense, other than Frankie Pratts' 6-yard touchdown pass to Chuck Zeigler early in the fourth period. The Whalers trailed 21-0 at the time.

"New London played real tough," Killingly coach Chad Neal said. "They outmatched us on the perimeter at times, so it becomes a game of keep away and try to limit the other team's possessions."

Neal and his players celebrated Senior Night with the senior class' 42nd win. The Killingly seniors, who may get to play a home playoff game, are 42-5 in their four years.

"When programs are successful, the kids begin to take some ownership and responsibility in it," Neal said. "They don't want to be part of the class where it all ends."

Nurse scored Killingly's last touchdown on a quarterback sneak in the third quarter.

"A lot of this has to do with what we do collectively," Nurse said. "When we looked in our locker room (before the season began) we knew we had enough to keep winning."

New London will end its season on Wednesday against rival Norwich Free Academy, where the Whalers will attempt to play spoiler. The Wildcats have a chance to qualify for the eighth and final playoff spot in Class LL, but must beat New London.

m.dimauro@theday.com