By Van Wade
The Orange Leader

PORTER – For the second straight year, the West Orange-Stark Mustangs handled the Bellville Brahmas easily in the playoffs as they cruised to a 49-7 Class 4A Division I Region III semifinal victory at Texan Drive Stadium Friday night behind five touchdown passes by senior quarterback Jack Dallas.
The Mustangs throttled the Brahmas 42-3 last season.
The Mustangs will take on the Giddings Buffaloes (11-2) in the 4A Division II Region III Finals next week.
Giddings defeated Liberty 26-14 Friday.
Dallas burned the Brahmas (10-3), especially in the first half when he completed 10-of-14 passes for 192 yards and four TDs. He finished 12-of-18 for 263 yards and five scores.
The five TD passes gave Dallas 102 in his superb three-year run as the starting QB.
“I wasn’t worried about the other 97 going into tonight, all I was worried about was getting the win and celebrating with my teammates,” said Dallas. “It was a special night. Everything was clicking on offense. The line gave us excellent protection. Our running game helped open up our passing game. It’s just a great feeling to be moving on and playing in December again.”
Receiver KJ Miller hauled in three passes for 110 yards and two scores in the first half as WO-S outgained the Brahmas 250-107 in the first 24 minutes.
The Mustangs finished with 426 total yards as they also got 163 yards on the ground. Tailback Kavyn Cooper had 79 yards and two TDs on just four carries.
“We were really clicking on all cylinders offensively tonight,” said Mustang coach Cornel Thompson, who will lead the Mustangs to their sixth straight Region III Championship Game next week. “Our offensive line protected Jack well and he made some excellent scrambles to get into position to throw some excellent balls. Our running game starting clicking late. It was a solid performance for sure after a tough week of practice and dealing with the holidays.”
The Mustangs limited the Brahmas to just 171 total yards.
Bellville tailback Mac Briscoe, who had 2,131 yards on the season, finishes the year with 2,218 as the Mustangs held him in check as he finished with 87 yards on 24 totes.
“It’s always great when you walk away with a victory in the third round of the playoffs,” said Thompson. “Bellville, they have a physical bunch but we adjusted to it well. Defensively, after we gave up that long first drive, really hunkered down and got after it.”
Now it’s on to face Giddings next.
“This certainly won’t be our first rodeo with Giddings,” said Thompson. “They’ve had a strong program for years. The price of poker is going up yet again.”
The Mustangs jumped on the board on their first series of the night, zipping 62 yards in eight plays.
Dallas was 4-for-4 for 59 yards. He connected with receiver Jay’Len Matthews along the right side and Matthews avoided a pair of Brahmas and scooted 28 yards to the Bellville 15.
Three plays later, Dallas hit receiver Keion Hancock on a short pass to the left side and Hancock sprinted into the end zone for the touchdown. Jeremiah Shaw ran in the two-point conversion for a 8-0 Mustang lead with 9:08 in the first quarter.
The Brahmas answered right back when they drove 75 yards in six plays to draw to within one.
Connor McIntyre connected with Briscoe on a 25-yard pass to the 50.
After Clayton Stallones ripped off two runs that netted 12 yards, Briscoe darted off the left side through a big hole that went for 38 yards and the score. Oscar Mendez booted the extra-point as the Brahmas trailed 8-7 with 6:29 in the first quarter.
Mustang linebacker Cory Skinner picked off a McIntyre pass on the first play of the second quarter and got to the Bellville 27.
The Mustangs hit paydirt three plays later when Dallas hooked up with receiver Dominique Tezeno, running behind a couple nice blocks, Tezeno bolted down the left side for a 17-yard touchdown pass. Dallas connected with Miller for the two-point conversion pass to give WO-S a 16-7 edge with 10:45 in the half.
WO-S put together a splendid five-play, 80-yard drive sparked by two big passes from Dallas to Miller.
The first covered 28 yards to the Bellville 31. After a holding call put the Mustangs back at the 31, Dallas scrambled around and bought some time and found a wide-open Miller all by himself in the middle of the end zone for a 31-yard score. Chad Dallas booted the extra-point, making it 23-7 Mustangs with 5:25 in the half.
The Mustangs were not through in the half as they ripped off a four-play, 61-yard drive to score again.
The big play came when Dallas scrambled around to give himself some time and he spotted a wide-open Miller across the middle for a 51-yard touchdown bomb, pushing it to 30-7 with 1:29 in the half.
Briscoe had 59 yards on 11 carries in the first half.
The Mustangs put together a six-play, 62-yard scoring march near the end of the third quarter, capped by a slashing 41-yard touchdown run by Cooper, making it 37-7 with 1:55 in the third.
WO-S came up with a big play with 9:20 remaining when on third-and-20 from their own 40, Dallas hit receiver Jarron Morris in the left flat and Morris turned to the sideline and cut it up for a 60-yard touchdown jaunt, making it 43-7.
After stopping Bellville on fourth down at the Brahma 22, Cooper scored again three plays later when he motored around the left end for a 25-yard romp with 5:49 remaining.