Hafley, Burnet Bulldogs beat Kennedale 55-35 to advance
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
WACO — With the Burnet Bulldogs football team going into a Class 3A area-round playoff match Nov. 22 against Kennedale, the most talked about running back was Wildcats junior Juwan Washington.
But, by the end of the game, Burnet senior running back Trenton Hafley was the star of the show with six touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs (9-3) to a 55-35 victory.
This was the first time since 2003 the Bulldogs won a second-round playoff game. Next up for Burnet is Lubbock Cooper on Nov. 30 at Gordon Wood Stadium in Brownwood. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
Hafley got the scoring going, completing the Bulldogs’ opening drive with a 27-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Derek Kiser on fourth-and-23. Nick Melvin added the extra point. The drive covered 72 yards in nine plays.
And just when it appeared Kennedale was going to tie the game, Burnet senior defensive back Tyler Krause intercepted the ball.
Hafley then added his second touchdown, a 10-yard run from the wild dog formation.
After the Burnet defense stopped a fake punt, it only took Hafley five plays to again find the end zone. From the wild dog, Hafley scored on a six-yard run to put the Bulldogs up 21-0.
Kennedale senior fullback Donny Darville answered with a 24-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 21-8.
But on the ensuing drive, Burnet sophomore receiver Brock Foster caught a nine-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to make it 28-8.
On their next drive, Kennedale attempted a play on fourth-and-6, but the Bulldogs stopped it for a 17-yard loss.
Two plays later, Burnet’s Joel Johnson hauled in an 11-yard touchdown reception for a 35-8 halftime lead.
The Wildcats recovered a fumble to start the second half. Seven plays later, Washington scored on a 10-yard run to trim the lead to 35-15.
Hafley answered with a two-yard touchdown run to cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive, putting the Bulldogs up 41-15.
Washington ended the third quarter with an 18-yard touchdown run for Kennedale to trim the lead to 41-22.
But Hafley wouldn’t be denied. He capped a 10-play, 64-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run with 7:28 remaining in the game to push the lead to 48-22.
Kennedale’s Darville earned touchdown No. 2 on a 40-yard run to make it 48-29.
But the Wildcats had no answer for Hafley, who scampered into the end zone from 10 yards out to make it 55-29.
On the final play of the contest, Washington found Kennedale senior receiver Matt Thompson for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Hafley rushed 26 times for 137 yards and five touchdowns and had seven receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown; Kiser completed 19 of 27 passes for 387 yards and three touchdowns; and Jones caught four passes for 157 yards, all unofficial.
jfierro@thepicayune.com