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Bastrop senior utility player Gary Jefferson delivered one of the most dominant playoff performances in recent program history, powering the Bears to a 69-42 victory over the Waco University Trojans on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Crusader Stadium in Belton.
Jefferson was nearly unstoppable every time he touched the ball. He rushed for 398 yards and six touchdowns, added 47 yards receiving and scored once through the air, accounting for seven of Bastrop’s nine touchdowns. His combination of power and open-field explosiveness overwhelmed the University defense from start to finish.
The Bears’ offense, which has been one of their strengths all season, once again showed it s fi repower in a high-scoring matchup.
Bastrop set the tone early. A blocked punt on University’s opening possession gave the Bears a short field at the 13-yard line, and junior quarterback Weston Nielsen capitalized quickly, keeping the ball on a quarterback run to put Bastrop ahead 7-0.
Both defenses settled in from there, and the Bears carried the onescore lead into the second quarter. But it didn’t take long for Bastrop to break things open.
On the first drive of the second quarter, Nielsen dropped a screen pass to Jefferson, who weaved through defenders for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 14-0. The Trojans answered with a touchdown to close the gap to 14-7, but the Bears responded immediately.
Nielsen found senior wide receiver Zac Wilkinson on a 25-yard strike down the sideline, pushing the lead back to 21-7 and shifting momentum firmly in Bastrop’s favor. From there, Jefferson took control of the game.
The senior ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter, giving the Bears a commanding 28-7 cushion with 7:18 left in the half. University managed a late score, but Jefferson’s repeated long gains helped Bastrop take a 35-14 lead into halftime.
The Bears wasted no time extending that margin in the third. Jefferson opened the second half with another explosive play — a 50-yard touchdown run that made it 48-20.
Bastrop’s offensive line consistently created lanes, and Jefferson routinely turned small openings into breakaway plays. He added a 45yard touchdown run later in the quarter, widening the margin to 62-28, and capped his night with a 55-yard scoring burst in the fourth to make it 6934.
Nielsen put together a strong outing of his own, completing 15 of 24 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Senior tight end Brent Carter led the Bears in receiving with 83 yards and a touchdown.
With the win, Bastrop advances to the regional round of the playoffs and will face Randle on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. at Prairie View A&M Stadium.
