LUBBOCK — For the second straight week, Denton Guyer’s D.J. Breedlove had the type of performance that can carry a team in the postseason.
The only difference in Saturday afternoon’s regional semifinal against Amarillo was that Breedlove got a lot of help from his friends.
The senior running back totaled 121 yards and scored three times in just a half of action as Guyer cruised to a 63-21 win over Amarillo at Lowrey Field, advancing to the Class 4A Division I Region I final.
“He’s a senior and has been a big-time player for three years,” Guyer coach John Walsh said. “We expect him and others to take the game over when the ball’s in their hands. That’s what leaders do, and he’s done that.”
The Wildcats will play Birdville in a game tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Apogee Stadium in Denton.
After racking up nearly 300 total yards and scoring two punt return touchdowns in last week’s win over Waco, Breedlove was in a groove from the beginning of Saturday’s win, the Wildcats’ second over Amarillo in as many postseasons.
Breedlove was just one of many players who stood out offensively for Guyer, which played perhaps its best all-around game of the season. The Wildcats scored on six of their first seven possessions to build a 42-0 lead at the half, and they led by 56 before Amarillo got on the scoreboard near the end of the third quarter.
Breedlove scored twice on the ground and also on a 26-yard catch-and-run from Guyer quarterback Jerrod Heard as the Wildcats (11-2) steamrolled Amarillo (7-6) early and often.
“D.J. is a born leader,” said Heard, a Texas pledge. “Since last week when he had those [two] returns, it’s just at the point where he has to step up. That’s part of his leadership role, and he’s doing a great job of that.”
The Wildcats had their fourth punt return touchdown of the postseason to get the scoring started Saturday, but this time it was not from Breedlove, who returned three punts for scores in the first two games of the postseason.
Sophomore linebacker Michael Carrillo returned a punt 42 yards for a score to give Guyer a lead before its offense even had a possession. Guyer went on roll up 493 yards, including 339 in the first half.
“We just wanted to come out and play and hit them in the mouth first,” Breedlove said of his notoriously slow-starting team. “We’ve been starting slow all year and coming out slow, so we wanted to make a point today to come out fast. Carrillo’s punt return just set the whole mood for the game.”
Senior quarterback Jerrod Heard, a Texas pledge, had one of his better passing games of the season. The dual-threat quarterback was 10-for-15 for 162 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 89 yards and a score before taking a seat on the bench for the second half.