Following up a goal line stand with a 99-yard touchdown drive midway through the second quarter, the Bastrop Rams soared to a 40-7 quarterfinal road victory over Zachary on Friday night at the Bronco Corral.

Bastrop (11-1) returns home next Friday to play Belle Chasse, a 40-31 winner over Eunice, in the semifinals.

Starting the game with some razzle-dazzle, the Rams needed just 44 seconds to get on the scoreboard. Lining up at wide receiver, backup quarterback Darren Anderson took a lateral from quarterback Rueben Randle and hit Rodney Heard for 59 yards and a first down at the 9.

It was a play the Rams used last year when Randle threw the ball as a wide receiver.

“We kind of brought that play back from last year,” Randle said. “We just used it with Darren throwing the ball this year.”

Two plays later, Randle found Jevante Watson in the back of the endzone for the touchdown. Breaking a tackle on a swing pass in the backfield, Stanley Moore tacked on the 2-point conversion to put the Rams in front 8-0.

For the second straight week, the Rams were unable to capitalize on an early turnover. D.D. Jones caused and recovered a fumble on the Broncos’ second play from scrimmage and the Rams took over at the Zachary 33.

The drive stalled after a holding penalty and the Broncos began their second series from their own 8.

Zachary managed a pair of first downs before bringing on the punting unit on fourth-and-three from its own 41. Two flags against the Rams -- on for roughing the kicker and a personal foul -- enabled the Broncos to take possession. Bastrop linebacker Romalis Whitmore was ejected on the personal foul call.

With Trey Owens limited to long snapping duties, Whitmore’s ejection left the Rams down two starting linebackers.

“We were already thin (at linebacker) anyway,” Bastrop coach Brad Bradshaw said. “We tried a bunch of people there tonight. Kids have to remember that a good football player is going to be prepared. It doesn’t matter if you’re second team or third team, you’re going to prepare.”

Advancing to the Bastrop 40 after the penalty yardage was assessed, the Broncos turned the ball over on downs when D’Andre Bradshaw stopped a fourth-and-five running play in the backfield.

Zachary soon regained control of the football at its own 48, compliments of a Jeremy Drake interception.

From there, the Broncos moved to a first-and-goal at the Bastrop 6 as Wendale Collins reeled off a 14-yard run, Ben Hernandez kept for 16 and Jamazz White took a pitch for 14.

Bastrop’s defense stiffened as three straight running plays netted two yards. On fourth-and-goal from the 4, Jones and Tai Alford denied Marcus Allen on a pitch to the right side.

Assuming possession at the 1, the Rams reeled off 99 yards on nine plays.

Randle sneaked for five yards and Jermario Tate barreled straight ahead for 14 yards to give the Rams operating room at the 20.

Seven plays later, Randle found Preston Coleman for 24 yards, before the ball squirted out and Watson alertly made the recovery for his second touchdown of the game. Despite coming up empty on the try for 2, the Rams were up 14-0 at 7:21 before halftime.

Zachary’s offense was back on the field for only one play as Charleston Williams pounced on a loose ball to give the Rams a short field at the 33.

Dwight Hawkins picked up 13 yards on a screen pass, moving the chains to the 20. On fourth-and-11 from the 21, Randle cut to his right and zigzagged all the way to paydirt, extending the margin to 20-0 with 4:36 remaining in the half.

Randle continues to battle a tender hamstring.

“It felt pretty good in the first half,” Randle said of his hamstring. “It got a little sore as the game went on, but I knew I had to stay in and stay focused and not worry about it.”

Randle, who took his first official visit to Oklahoma last week, has no travel plans for this week.

“I’m just going to stay home and get some rest,” Randle said.

Zachary set up at its own 28 after Tim Fields delivered a big hit on the ensuing kickoff return.

Collins’ 11-yard run and Hernandez’s 24-yard pass to Jonas Scott helped the Broncos move to the 20. From there, Collins blasted 20 yards to the endzone. Curran Johnson’s extra point drew the Broncos within 20-7 with 2:01 to play in the half.

Bastrop wasn’t done, however.

Picking up a block from Willie Graham, Keldrick Anderson returned the kickoff 31 yards to the Zachary 35.

Hunter Freeland’s 11-yard reception and Coleman’s 18-yard grad led to a first-and-goal at the 4.

Two snaps later, Watson followed Tai Alford and D.D. Jones into the endzone from a yard out, lengthening the Rams’ lead to 26-7 with just 19 ticks before intermission.

“I thought the goal line stand was huge,” coach Bradshaw said. “And, I thought answering their touchdown right before the half was huge.”

D’Andre Bradshaw’s 38-yard fumble return to the Zachary 36 late in the third quarter set up the Rams’ next score.

Converting a fourth-and-eight, Stanley Moore snared a 32-yard pass between two defenders for a first-and-goal at the 2.

After an illegal procedure penalty, Hawkins powered in from seven yards away on the first play of the fourth quarter.

RaDarius Winston’s 7-yard interception return gave the Rams a short field, once again, at the Zachary 27.

Carrying six straight times, Tate muscled his way into the endzone from two yards out. Randle threw to Rodriguez Moore on the conversion to give the Rams a commanding 40-7 lead with 7:33 left in the contest.

Bastrop forced two turnovers while holding the Broncos’ triple option ground game in check. Zachary rushed for 144 yards on 39 carries. Collins’s 20-yard TD jaunt and Scott’s 24-yard catch were the Broncos’ only plays to gain over 15 yards.

“Everybody came out and played with intensity,” said Bastrop defensive tackle Josh Downs. “We never laid off. We kept doing what we came to do. We came together as a team. We played physical and we played fast. That’s what we have to keep doing.”

NOTES: Season ticket holders may purchase their regular reserve tickets in the school lobby from 1-4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. After Tuesday at 4 p.m., any remaining reserve tickets will go on sale to the general public. ... Bastrop fans were pelted by rain on their trip to Zachary. Other than a brief shower at game time, the there was no rain during the game.