BUFFALO – Running back Jacolby Whitaker scored three rushing touchdowns and returned an interception 37 yards for another score as Alto overcame a two-touchdown deficit to defeat Bosqueville 35-14 in a Class A regional semifinal game in Buffalo on Friday.

Whitaker scored on runs of 1 and 4 yards in the second quarter to tie up the game at 14-14.

His return of an interception for a score gave the Yellowjackets their first lead of the game in the third quarter. He added an 11-yard run later in the third quarter, a score that put Bosqueville away.

Alto quarterback Zac Sturns added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Yellowjackets improved to 11-2 and will play Mart in the regional finals. That game will be played in Athens at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Whitaker, a former starting quarterback, found big creases in Bosqueville’s interior line while running behind an Alto line that steadily got the best of the opposing line as the game wore on. He finished with 189 yards rushing on 28 carries.

Sturns, in his first season of at Alto after transferring from Rusk last spring, added 112 yards rushing on 23 carries as Alto rushed for 316 yards.

Bosqueville (11-2) held the upper hand early, taking a 14-0 lead behind some big running plays by quarterback CJ Collins and running back Greyson Gonzalez.

The Bulldogs’ first drive was halted by Alto”s Joe Cruz’s interception. But after Bosqueville held Alto on downs inside its own 30-yard line, the Bulldogs struck quickly, scoring on a 48-yard run by Gonzalez.

Later in the first quarter, Alto fumbled while fielding a punt, giving Bosqueville the ball at the 16-yard line.

Collins turned the mistake into a quick touchdown, when he found an open lane to the right side of the line and raced 16 yards on the first play of the drive for a 14-0 lead.

But while Bosqueville owned the first quarter, Alto dominated the second.

The Yellowjackets found good yardage up the middle on runs by Whitaker and Sturns, who combined for 150 rushing yards in the first half, the majority of them coming in the second quarter.

Whitker drew Alto to within 14-7 on a 1-yard run with 7:31 left in the half.

After Bosqueville threw three incompletions on its next drive, Alto took over after the punt and marched about 70 yards for the score, with Whitaker scoring again on a 4-yard run.

Alto had earlier converted a fourth-down and 4 from the Boqueville 8-yard line with a five-yard run by Sturns.

Bosqueville was held to negative three yards rushing in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs finished with 153 yards rushing, including 82 in the opening quarter.

Gonzalez rushed for 119 yards on 14 carries. He had 56 yards on four carries in the first half.

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