RUSTON -- Third-seeded Ruston used big plays to run past No. 14 Zachary 42-21 in the second round of the Division I nonselect football playoffs at L.J. "Hoss" Garrett Stadium Friday night.
The Broncos end their season with a 7-4 record. Ruston (9-2) advances to host sixth-seeded Southside in the quarterfinal round.
It was the third year in a row that the teams have met in the post season, with Ruston winning all three, including last year Division I title game and a semifinal in 2022.
The first half was a slugfest that ended in a 14-14 tie. Ruston outscored ZHS 28-7 in the second half.
Zachary scored first as Da'Vekio Ruffin bounced off tackle to the left on a four-yard touchdown run. The Broncos led 7-0 with 5:14 left in the first quarter.
Ruston tied it at 7-7 three seconds into the second quarter on a two-yard run by Jordan Haynes. But it didn't take long for the Broncos to reclaim the lead.
Quarterback Caleb Gonzales hit Jaiden Cockerham on a 14-yard scoring strike to take a 14-7 lead with 7:49 remaining in the first half.
The Bearcats scored again when quarterback Josh Brantley fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Darius James with six seconds remaining in the half.
Haynes burst through a hole up the middle and raced 70 yards for a score that put the Bearcats back on top 21-14 only 10 seconds into the third quarter.
Then Haynes then helped the Bearcats stretch their lead as he twisted through an attempted tackle and used second effort for a two-yard scoring scamper that put Ruston up 28-14 with five minutes to go in the third quarter.
The Broncos pulled within seven. Ruffin ran eight yards to paydirt with 8:29 remaining. Ruston countered with another big play -- a 65-yard scoring pass from Brantley to Hayes with 6:55 left on the clock.
RHS added a 10-yard TD run by Brantley at the 2:23 mark of the fourth quarter.
Ruffin finished with 164 rushing yards and his two scores on 25 carries while Gonzales connected on 15-of-24 pass attempts for 178 yards and a pair of touchdowns.