Allen ground game chews up Duncanville in 6A Division I quarterfinal

Allen running back Kirby Bennett rushed for 138 yards and two first-half touchdowns, while teammate Brock Sturges rushed for 133 yards and a pair of second-half scores as the Eagles beat Duncanville 42-23 Saturday in a Class 6A Division I state quarterfinal game at AT&T Stadium. The Eagles meet The Woodlands in a 6A Division I semifinal at 1 p.m. Dec. 10 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

Key players: Bennett had touchdown runs of 78 and 4 yards, with the second score tying the contest 14-all at halftime. Allen’s lead was 21-17 late in the third quarter when Sturges raced in from 41 yards. Early in the fourth he scored from 42 yards as the Eagles’ lead grew to 35-17. Duncanville wideout Mackendrick Jackson scored on an 8-yard catch to cut the deficit to 35-23, but two late Panthers turnovers ended the rally.

Key stat: Allen was limited to 70 passing yards, but the Eagles rushed for 343 yards on 37 carries. Duncanville won just three games in 2015.

Records: Allen 14-0; Duncanville 11-3

This story was originally published December 3, 2016 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Allen ground game chews up Duncanville in 6A Division I quarterfinal."