Adams County Christian School opened up the playbook and knocked off several plays of 40 yards or more as the Rebels cruised to a 35-7 MAIS Class AAA quarterfinals win against Starkville Academy.

The Rebels (10-2) had 376 yards compared to 172 for the Volunteers (8-4) — 90 of that for Starkville coming on one Dalton Dempsey run.

“That was a good football team we beat pretty soundly tonight,” ACCS coach David King said. “I am very, very pleased with everything that came out of tonight’s win. Overall, everyone around played really well.”

George Scott III began the festivities on ACCS’s first play with a 48-yard touchdown on an end-around run with 10:16 in the first quarter.

Lining up to kick the extra point, junior quarterback Daniel Huff scooped it up on the snap and tossed it in the end zone to starting quarterback Davis Sharp for a 2-point conversion, putting the Rebels up 8-0.

ACCS would strike again after a trio of stalled drives from the teams. Sharp would place the ball right into Scott’s hands as he crossed the line into the end zone on a perfect 41-yard pass. Cristofer Thompson’s kick would make it 15-0 with 4:12 to go in the first.

On the next drive, the Vols missed on a big play after Kyle Favor’s pass hit Brady Richardson for 29 yards. But Richardson fumbled on the 16-yard line and ACCS’ DyKevis Ford pounced on the loose ball.

During the next series, Cade Wells broke free on a 66-yard run to reach the goal line, and then he pounded it into the end zone from 2 yards out. Following a false start penalty, Thompson missed the kick, but the Rebels still led 21-0 with 15 seconds left in the first.

The Rebels scored two more times — on a 40-yard touchdown run by Ford with 8:13 in the second and with 2:23 in the second Jordan Wells carried several defenders into the end zone on a 2-yard run.

Thompson hit both kicks to make the score 35-0 going into the break.

Starkville Academy’s lone touchdown came on the first play of the fourth series in the third quarter with Dempsey running it 90 yards for a touchdown. Senior kicker Sam Cox hit the extra point with plenty room to spare.

With the Rebels scoring early and fast, King said the run-oriented Volunteers were forced into the passing game and Ford — still not 100 percent — came up big, deflecting several passes.

The Rebels defense — led by Chris Smotherman with 2 sacks and 4 tackles — also stopped the run. Taking out the 90-yard run in the second half, the Vols only mounted 42 yards on the ground.

“They are a running team and we pinned our ears back and made some plays on defense,” King said. “We have been playing a lot more aggressive lately and that is what you have to do in the playoffs.”

Vols Coach Chase Nicholson said it was a tough loss, but the team would look back and remember the path to get to this point.

“ACCS is a great football team,” Nicholson said. “We knew that coming in, and our guys never quit. They stayed with what we believed in, what we have done from day one. They never quit.

“At the end, I told them I love them. I am proud of each and every one of them.”

ACCS will play Greenville St. Joseph at home in the semifinals. St. Joseph defeated Centreville Academy, 42-0.