By Kyle Roberts
An unstoppable ground game propelled Ruston into the semifinals Friday night after the Bearcats outrushed the Wildcats 310 yards to 107 en route to a 56-17 win in a Thanksgiving week quarterfinal matchup.
Juniors Jordan Hayes, Dylone Brooks and Josh Brantley combined for 295 yards from scrimmage and five of Ruston’s eight touchdowns.
“I think we did some good things on in all three phases of the game,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “I’m very proud of our football team and our kids giving themselves an opportunity to make it to the semifinal. I thought (Walker) did a really good job all year getting together some packages that kind of mess you up defensively, and I thought they had a really good plan. They had us confused for a little while, but once our kids settle in, I thought we handled it okay.”
After a nearly scoreless first quarter, a 30-yard punt return by senior defensive back Nate Johnson gave life to Ruston’s offense with 43 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Sophomore Lander Smith would score with 18 seconds to play in the first quarter on a one-yard run up the middle to give Ruston a 7-0 lead.
Walker would respond early in the second quarter after a series of trick plays that led to senior quarterback Troy Sylve rushing into the end zone from five yards out with 11:03 to play in the first half to tie the game 7-7.
Hayes would respond with his second rushing touchdown of the night; this time from 75 yards away to give Ruston a 14-7 lead.
And the Bearcats would not look back.
Near the six minute mark of the first half, junior linebacker Zheric Hill forced a fumble that was recovered by senior linebacker Jadon Mayfield, which would set up Brooks’ first touchdown of the night to extend Ruston’s lead to 21-7.
Walker would cut the lead with 11 seconds to go before halftime with a 34-yard field goal for a 21-10 score.
In the second half, Hayes would score again from six yards out on a toss sweep to give Ruston a 28-10 lead at the 7:29 mark of the third quarter.
Walker would respond early in the fourth with a touchdown by senior Jamari Evans with 11:46 to play, before Ruston answered with 28-unanswered points in the final stanza.
Hayes would then return the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to extend Ruston’s lead to 35-17. Brooks would score again for the Bearcats with 5:36 to play, and afterward senior defensive back Semaj Jones returned fumble 46 yards for a touchdown on a ball that was stripped by junior defensive lineman Ka’Varion Key at the 4:28 mark in the fourth.
The Bearcat second team would even see some fourth quarter snaps with sophomore Nolan Parnell punching a two-yard run into the end zone to give Ruston the 56-17 win overall.
“That’s always a big deal for us,” Baugh said. “Anytime you can get guys in the game, particularly in the third round playoff game; that doesn’t arise very often. But the experience that those kids gain is second to none in the respect that hopefully they’ll be in that position next year, and they’ll be accustomed to it. And it’s just football program building.”
Senior kicker Will Fendley was perfect on the night on extra points.
Mayfield led the Bearcats in tackles with eight on the night, along with a sack.
The Bearcats will now host No. 21 Mandeville who has made a story-book run through the 2023 postseason. The Skippers just upset No. 4 Airline in Bossier, La., 56-50.
