Mart Pulls Away to End West Sabine’s Season, 50-18

RUSK -- Mart and West Sabine traded scores to start the game, but that was as close as the Tigers got in Friday's Class A Division I Region III semifinal.

Mart scored six of the next seven touchdowns to run away with a 50-18 victory over West Sabine at Eagle Stadium to push Mart to next week's regional final.

Mart (9-3) faces Bosqueville (10-3), which stopped Alto on a late two-point conversion attempt to beat the Yellow Jackets 42-41 in the other 1A D-I Region III semifinal. Mart won 53-33 at home vs. Bosqueville in a Nov. 8 regular-season finale.

Quarterback De'Nerian Thomas had a huge night for Mart, rushing for five touchdowns (1, 7, 11, 11, 13) and throwing a 63-yard touchdown strike to Walker Love for a 13-6 lead 8 1/2 minutes into the game. That touchdown sparked 19-0 run that helped the Bulldogs to a 33-12 halftime lead.

Thomas finished with 24 carries for 169 yards and the five scores, along with 4-for-6 passing for 104 yards and the aforementioned touchdown to Love. Teammate D'Marcus Cosby ran 17 times for 152 yards and one touchdown as the Panthers outgained West Sabine 451-248, including a 347-132 rushing advantage.

West Sabine's ReShod Williams completed 8 of 18 passes for 116 yards and ran 14 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Williams had 15 carries for 71 yards and one touchdown, while Kirkland Wilson caught four passes for 82 yards. Joshua Duffey snagged two passes for 21 yards.

The season may have ended before the Tigers wanted, but they tied a school record for most wins in a season, matching West Sabine's 12-1 campaign in 1973.

-- Stats courtesy the Beaumont Enterprise