News-Times Staff
TEXARKANA - Thanks to a strong running game, Smackover will be entering the postseason with some momentum.
Damarous White rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns on just 10 carries, as the Bucks knocked off Genoa Central 46-20 in the 6-3A finale for both schools.
The Bucks (6-4, 5-2) snapped a two-game losing streak and locked up the league's No. 3 seed with the win. Smackover will be at home to open the playoffs next week against the winner of tonight's 4-3A clash between Paris and Lamar.
Genoa Central (3-7, 2-5) saw their season come to a close.
Smackover got out of the gates quickly thanks to White, who scored on a 51-yard run with 9:12 left in the opening period.
Nearly three minutes later, Jaqueze Modica broke free for a 61-yard run, and White's successful run on the two-point conversion gave the Bucks a 14-0 lead.
Bo Jewell, who scored three touchdowns for the Dragons, got Genoa Central on the board with a 17-yard run with 3:17 left in the first quarter, but White answered with his second touchdown, a 37-yard run, to give Smackover a 20-7 lead after the first quarter.
The Bucks continued to pull away in the second period.
White scored for the third time on a 3-yard run at the 7:20 mark, and the Bucks' two-point conversion was good after Modica hauled in Roshard Boone's pass to make it 28-7.
Boone then delivered another big play, scoring on a 45-yard run with three minutes left to play in the first half to give the visitors a 34-7 lead at intermission.
Smackover extended their lead to 40-7 early in the third quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Boone to K.J. King at the 8:34 mark, but the Dragons fought back.
Jewell scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 43 yards to pull Genoa Central within 40-20 with 10:39 to play, but White had the final word on matters, scoring on a 60-yard run just 20 seconds after Jewell's second touchdown to cap the scoring in the contest.
In addition to White, Modica had 93 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Dexter Crockett had 29 yards on six carries, while T.J. Modica had 28 yards on five carries.
Boone finished 4-of-10 passing for 44 yards with a touchdown and an interception while adding 18 yards and a touchdown on four carries.
King caught three passes for 19 yards and a touchdown, while Javon and Jaqueze Modica each caught one pass for 14 yards.
Overall, Smackover had 378 of their 425 yards of total offense come on the ground.
Genoa Central had 286 yards of total offense that included 265 yards rushing.