Ka’Darius Baker, No. 1 Navasota Hammer Jasper 59-14 in Class 3A Area Round Showdown

CONROE -- Ka'Darius Baker threw for 402 yards and five touchdowns and top-ranked Navasota continued its dominating run through the Class 3A Division II playoffs with a 59-14 victory against Jasper on Friday night at Buddy Moorhead Stadium.

Baker pushed his touchdown pass total to 48 on the season for Navasota (12-0), which next has a showdown with powerhouse LaMarque in the regional round -- a game the entire state will be playing close attention to next week.

Jasper ended its season 9-3.

Four of Baker's five touchdown passes came in the first half. Three times in the game he connected with Austin Collins for touchdowns. Collins caught seven passes for 196 yards.

Baker's second touchdown to Collins -- from 50 yards out -- gave Navasota a 38-7 lead at halftime. The two connected again late in the third quarter for a 66-yard touchdown to give the Rattlers a 45-7 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Baker, who also threw touchdown passes to Xavier Creeks and Solomon McGinty, completed 21 of 30 passes in the game.

Terrence Cuney rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the Jasper offense. His first touchdown run cut Navasota's lead to 14-7 with 2:13 left in the first quarter, but the Rattlers responded a minute later on Baker's 24-yard touchdown pass to Collins.

Jasper's Donavan Middleton contributed 143 yards on 15 carries, while quarterback Steven Walker completed 6 of 9 passes for 61 yards. The Bulldogs did not turn the ball over in the game, but Navasota forced six Jasper punts to build a dominating lead.