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Behind RB Duke Carter, Lake Ridge rolls past John Tyler 77-51

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By RANDY JENNINGS/Special Contributor

FORNEY - With a strong wind neutralizing the accomplished passing attack of Mansfield Lake Ridge, senior running back Duke Carter correctly anticipated more of a ball-carrying workload in Saturday afternoon's Class 5A Division I area playoff game.

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With Carter scoring five touchdowns and rushing for 197 of his team's 519-yard total on the ground, Lake Ridge rolled to a 77-51 victory over Tyler John Tyler at City Bank Stadium.

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Lake Ridge (12-0) advances to face Mesquite Poteet in a regional playoff set for 9 p.m. Saturday at AT&T Stadium.

John Tyler (8-4), a program that has advanced to the fifth playoff round in three of its last four seasons, could never recover from a 21-point deficit in the first quarter.

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"We knew it would be tough to throw today so more would be on the running game,'' said Carter. "But with an offensive line like ours, it really doesn't matter who is the running back or quarterback. Every one of those guys is top notch.''

Lake Ridge coach Kirk Thor said getting a fast start against John Tyler was essential. He used all of his timeouts in the first quarter to insure the maximum usage of the favoring gusting wind.

The Lake Ridge defense struck on the first play from scrimmage when Bryson Jackson and Keith Smith combined on a sack to force a fumble that Bronsyn Smith recovered at the John Tyler 6.

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Quarterback Jett Duffey, more of a runner than passer on this day, scored the first of his team's 11 touchdowns just 48 seconds into the game. Duffey ran for 186 yards and three scores.

Lake Ridge later in the period grinded out scoring drives of 80 and 50 yards while John Tyler had two threatening first quarter marches end on downs deep in the Eagles' end.

Carter scored three touchdowns in the first half on runs of 53 and 24 yards and was on the end of a Duffey 12-yard scoring pass. He found the end zone two more times in the second half for his first five-touchdown game of the season.

Lake Ridge blocked a pair of punts, the second by Tyshawn Suddoth, leading to a score. Suddoth set up another score with a 55-yard interception return in the second half.

John Tyler was able to mount a comeback with the wind at its back in the second quarter and made a brief rally in the final period. Junior quarterback Bryson Smith scrambled for 215 yards and four touchdowns while throwing for 177 yards and two scores.

But the Lake Ridge running attack was never slowed. Gerard McClain became the third Eagle to go over 100 yards, finishing with 147 and three scores.

The 77 points was a season high for Lake Ridge, which twice has reached 60 points or more.