GRAVETTE -- Gentry got a look at a full-speed Cedric Duarte and it wasn't pretty for the Pioneers.
Gravette's senior running back, who has been battling nagging injuries the past few weeks, carried 28 times for 234 yards and five touchdowns to lift the Lions to a 40-0 rout Friday in the regular-season finale at Lions Stadium.
The victory gave the Lions (6-4, 4-3 4A-1 Conference) the conference's No. 4 seed in next week's Class 4A playoffs. Gentry (3-7, 3-4) also advances to the playoffs as the fifth-place team.
Duarte scored two second-quarter touchdowns as the Lions built a 20-0 halftime lead, but his three touchdowns in the third quarter put the game away for Gravette.
"He had a great night for sure," Gravette coach Bill Harrelson said. "The offensive line opened some really big holes and Cedric can take advantage of it."
Duarte scored from the seven with 10:30 left in the third quarter after Derek Pruitt's interception gave the Lions possession at midfield.
He ran six yards with 8:30 remaining after Michael Olvera blocked a punt deep in Gentry territory, the second blocked punt of the game for the Lions. The first resulted in Duarte's second touchdown, a five-yard run with 6:21 left in the first half.
"That really broke their back," Harrelson said of the punt blocks. "The kids sold out and laid out and did a great job of blocking the punts."
Duarte's final touchdown came on a 52-yard run with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter. It came two plays after Pruitt intercepted a Kevin Easter pass in the end zone.
Duarte's rushing spearheaded a 446-yard offensive night for the Lions, who averaged 9.5 yards per play.
Besides the two blocked punts, the Lions also forced a fumble and intercepted three passes.
EXTRA POINTS
• Duarte finished the regular season with 1,494 yards rushing on 222 attempts. He also scored 22 touchdowns. Friday's game marked the fourth in which he gained more than 200 yards. He had only 44 yards combined against Berryville and Huntsville because of injuries.
• Gravette had 13 seniors playing their final home game.
• Gentry won last year's meeting 21-19, the Pioneers' first victory over their Benton County rival since 2003.
• Gravette will make its eighth straight appearance in the Class 4A playoffs. The Lions started the run by reaching the semifinals in 2007. Gentry advances for the second straight year.
UP NEXT: Both teams travel to southeast Arkansas to open Class 4A playoffs next week. Gravette visits preseason Class 4A favorite Warren while Gentry faces Pine Bluff Dollarway, which upset Warren 34-15 on Thursday to win the 4A-8 Conference title.
HOW THEY SCORED
Gravette 40, Gentry 0
Gentry 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Gravette 7 13 20 0 -- 40
FIRST QUARTER
Grav -- Burnett 51 run (Duarte kick), 8:01
SECOND QUARTER
Grav -- Duarte 45 run (Duarte kick), 11:04 Grav -- Duarte 5 run (kick failed), 6:21
THIRD QUARTER
Grav -- Duarte 7 run (Duarte kick), 10:30 Grav -- Duarte 6 run (Duarte kick), 8:30 Grav -- Duarte 52 run (kick failed), 1:04
Sports on 11/12/2014