PORTER — Forget the haka, that impressive pre-game dance ritual the Canton Tigers fashion.

The soul of the team rather comes from its defense and a playmaking quarterback, both of which combined to jettison Porter from the Class B playoffs here Friday night at Pirates Stadium.

Tigers quarterback Cody Haigler ran for two scores and passed for three more and a blitzing, lightning-quick defense frustrated Porter all night in a 38-16 outcome that ended the fourth-ranked Pirates’ undefeated season at 11-1.

Canton, 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in B in the Associated Press poll, advances to play Ryan, a 40-33 winner over Depew, in next week’s semifinal. Porter had beaten Depew earlier this season.

Haigler ran for a 2-yard score and threw for two of his three TD passes in the first half, one to Josh Taylor for 25 yards and the other a 12-yarder to Mondy Cruz on the first play of the second quarter. And just like that, the Pirates were looking at a 24-0 hole.

Porter’s offense, meanwhile, didn’t record a first down until Marcus Scarborough ran for 12 yards on a third-and-6 from his own 9-yard line with 6:53 on the second-quarter clock. His 57-yard run with 9:03 left in the third made it a 24-8 game with Marcus Bruner’s two-point conversion run.

But on Canton’s second play from scrimmage on the ensuing series, Haigler converted a second-and-10 screen pass to Cruz, who took it 56 yards for his second TD reception of the night and with it went the fleeting momentum Porter had mounted.

“I think we kind of caught them off guard early,” Haigler said. “They’re a good ball club though. Maybe they were expecting a little less from us.”

What Porter wound up with was a little less offense than they’ve been accustomed to in averaging 47 points in 11 games.

Scarborough’s TD run was clearly the longest play from scrimmage for the night. Although he finished with 127 yards on 19 carries, Porter could do little else, totaling 148 yards on the night. Scarborough didn’t complete a pass in eight attempts.

“Whenever they lined up in a formation different blitz and call that the kids called on the field, they made the adjustments and made things happen,” Canton coach Rob Davis said. “Our kids knew the scouting report.”

Bruner saw it that way, a glimpse into next season as Porter moves up from 8-man football.

“They confused us with their defense. It was like we were playing 11 on the field,” he said. “They’re quick and fast and everything, on both sides of the ball.”

Porter also hurt itself on special teams. On its first punt attempt, a low snap got Austin Taber tackled at his own 13, but Scarborough saved the Pirates by coming up with an interception in the end zone three plays later. But on the ensuing possession, Porter was again forced to punt and this time, the ball sailed over the top of Taber’s outstretched hands and out of the end zone for a 10-0 lead.

Porter also fumbled a first-half kickoff; Cruz’s recovery on that led to the early second-quarter score.

“We’ve had problems lately with our whole kick game,” Porter coach Ron Coppedge said. “But when we got down after having those problems tonight, we fought back. And for that, I’m proud of these kids. This was a good team that beat us.”

Taber had Porter’s other score, a 26-yard interception off backup quarterback Clayton Webb.