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STAFF REPORTS

TATUM — The Gilmer Buckeyes broke a 7-7 deadlock with a couple of touchdowns in the second quarter, holding on for a 20-14 win over the Center Roughriders to open the Class 4A Division II playoffs on Friday at Eagle Stadium.

Center (8-3) took the early lead in the bi-district game on a 2-yard touchdown run by T.J. Belin to cap a 74-yard, 7-play drive and give the Roughriders a 7-0 lead at the 7:11 mark of the first.

Gilmer answered four minutes later with a 16-yard run by Trill Butler. Brayden Pate’s PAT with 3:15 left tied things at 7-7.

Butler’s 2-yard TD run with 8:09 left in the half made it 13-7, and then Brady McCown tossed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Brendan Webb with 2:37 left in the half to give the Buckeyes a 20-7 halftime lead.

Tim Johnson’s 9-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in the third period pulled Center to within six points at 20-14, and the Buckeyes later recovered a Roughrider fumble and ran out the clock.

Gilmer (8-3) will meet Sunnyvale (8-3) in the area round next week. The Raiders defeated the Caddo Mills Foxes, 52-27.

BECKVILLE 56, RIVERCREST 28

GLADEWATER — Braxton Bullock tossed four touchdown passes — three to JT Smith — and Jorden Prince rushed for three touchdowns and the Beckville Bearcats opened the Class 2A Division I playoffs with a 56-28 win over Rivercrest on Friday at Jack V. Murphy-Bear Stadium.

The win moves Beckville to 10-1 on the year, and Beckville will meet Shelbyville (9-2) in the area round next week. Rivercrest ends the year with an 8-3 record. Shelbyville defeated Jewett Leon, 62-7.

Prince opened the scoring with a 38-yard TD run for the Bearcats with 3:29 left in the first quarter, but Rivercrest answered with a 59-yard touchdown run by Mark Grider with 1:59 left.

The Bearcats scored once before the end of the quarter on a 39-yard TD toss to Smith, and then built a 28-8 lead in the second on a 1-yard run by Bullock and a 14-yard TD sprint by Prince.

Grider’s 50-yard run kept Rivercrest in the game, but Bullock hit Aiden Harris on a 64-yard TD pass and Prince added a 4-yard run to make it 43-15 at the 8:58 mark of the third.

A 24-yard touchdown pass from Grider to Cameron Lowe cut the Rivercrest deficit to 43-22, but Bullock went up top to Smith again — this time from 6-yards out — and Beckville led 50-22 with 56 seconds left in the third.

JaQuan Brown scored on a 6-yard run for Rivercrest with 9:30 left in the game, but the Bearcats sealed the win with a 20-yard TD pass from Bullock to Smith.

OVERTON 68, EVADALE 0

SAN AUGUSTINE — Bryce Still had a hand in seven touchdowns, Jacob Osburn returned one of his two interceptions for a TD and the Overton Mustangs opened the playoffs with a 68-0 Class 2A Division II bi-district win over Evadale on Thursday at Wolf Stadium.

Overton, now 9-2 on the year, has outscored Evadale 108-9 the last two seasons in playoff openers. The Rebels end their season at 7-4.

Still completed 10 of 15 passes for 266 yards and five touchdowns and added three carries for 69 yards and two scores. He also picked off a pass.

Bryson Bobbitt finished with three catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Jayden Edwards caught four passes for 175 yards and two scores. Gabe Miller and Kash Holleman both recorded eight tackles and a sack, and Osburn had three tackles and two interceptions.

Overton led 20-0 after one quarter after TD passes of 56 yards from Still to Edwards and 13 yards from Still to Bobbitt, along with a 3-yard run from Still.

In the second, Still scored on a 67 yard run, Bobbitt had TD grabs of 14 and 52 yards, Edwards had a 53-yard TD grab and Osburn returned an interception 72 yards for a Td.

Justin Weir scored on a 48-yard run in the third, and Holleman had an 8-yard TD carry in the fourth.

Mason Rowe also had an interception for the Mustangs, and Jackson Furlow was 9-for-10 on extra point tries.

Overton advances to meet Mart (9-2) in area. The Panthers won over Cumby 68-20.