The Burnet Bulldogs advanced to round two of the 3A state playoffs Friday night with a 38-7 win over the Gatesville Hornets. Burnet’s defense stepped up big holding a good Gatesville team on numerous fourth down attempts. Alex Wallace, Dustin Kuehler, Taylor Letterman, and Travis Meadows kept the running game in checking stacking up most of Gatesville’s attempts.

On the offensive side of the ball it was most definitely a highlight night for senior running back Jathan Craig. Craig churned out 187-yards on 16-carries scoring two touchdowns along the way, behind some super blocking by offensive lineman Case Winkler, Travis Kozlovsky, Chad May, Grayson Floyd, and Tyler Scott. He would add nine more yards on a reception, and out of the wildcat completed a 40-yard pass to receiver Spencer Thurman.

Most of the first half went by scoreless until Gatesville took advantage of a few missed tackles on a second and 10 play from their own 34. The run resulted in the first score of the game and after the PAT it was 7-0 with just 1:11 left in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, Quade Stubblefield fielded the ball and handed off to Josh Barrera on a reverse who cruised 89-yards for a Bulldog touchdown. Tyler Clark’s PAT tied it up at 7 all. Burnet’s next big play came on special teams during the kickoff. A well placed Clark kick wasn’t covered by Gatesville and Dustin Kuehler quickly pounced on it giving Burnet another shot from the Hornet 23-yard line with just 45-tics left on the first half clock. After two incompletes and a short Chafin run Clark returned to the field kicking a 31-yard field goal putting Burnet up 10-7 at the break.

On the Dawgs first drive of the second half Craig took control. Burnet’s first offensive play was a 53-yard solid Craig run that moved the Dawgs to the Gatesville 6-yard line. One more Craig carry set-up a 1-yard Chafin touchdown and after Clark’s PAT it was 17-7 with 10:22 left in the third.

Gatesville put together a nice drive on their first possession but Letterman, Vincent Rivera, and Quade Stubblefield put a stop to it with an awesome defensive play on a fourth and inches that turned the ball over on downs at the Burnet 20-yard line.

Craig led the next Bulldog scoring drive with several carries, and added 40-yards through the air with a wildcat throw to Thurman setting Burnet up with a first and goal from the 10. Four plays later Craig punched it in from 4-yards out, Clark’s kick put Burnet up 24-7 with just under two minutes left in the third.

In the fourth quarter the Dawg defense shutdown Gatesville’s drives with interceptions. Aaron Thomas picked off two in the fourth, while Josh Evans closed out the game with an interception with under 20-seconds left to play.

The Dawgs scored two more times in the fourth quarter. The first was a 45-yard beauty of a throw and catch from Chafin to Brandon Jacque that put Burnet on top 31-7 with 11:43 left after the Clark PAT. Their last score was an awesome Craig run out of the wildcat that pushed the pile until it broke resulting in a 28-yard rushing touchdown for number 23. Clark put the final point on the board making it 38-7.

The win marks Burnet first playoff victory since 2003. The Dawgs will face Burkburnett in round two next Friday in Mineral Wells at 7:30 p.m. Pick-up Wednesday’s edition of the Burnet Bulletin for a complete story on this week’s Bulldog victory.