Gardendale got off to a slow start, but came roaring back to easily handle Woodlawn 42-6 Friday night in Class 6A Region 6 play.

The victory locks up home-field advantage for the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and sets up a battle for the region title with top-ranked Clay-Chalkville on Oct. 23.

The Colonels drew first blood late in the first quarter, after they stopped a Gardendale drive at their own 5-yard line. Woodlawn then marched downfield 95 yards, capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Robert Patrick.

But from that point on it was all Rockets, thanks in large part to three consecutive touchdowns from Demetrius King. He scored twice in the last four minutes of the first half, with a 5-yard run and then a 51-yard pass from quarterback Douglas Moore (filling in for normal starter Zac Cupps, who was sidelined for unspecified reasons).

King scored again with 7:47 left in the third quarter, this time on a 4-yard run.

Moore connected with Tye Dunklin on a 31-yard touchdown, followed by a 28-yard fumble recovery and score by John Michael Burrow and a 22-yard scoring run by Omari Burton.

Gardendale’s defense and special teams had big nights, recovering three Colonel fumbles and blocking two punts.

Dequa Houston ran the ball 12 times for 52 yards for the Rockets. King had two pass receptions for 62 yards.

Moore, in his first start for Gardendale, struggled early but gained confidence as the game wore on. He finished with nine completions in 21 attempts for 141 yards, with two first-half interceptions.

Woodlawn finished with 188 yards total offense, with more than half of that coming on their very first possession. Quarterback LaQuarrius Wilson ran 14 times for 48 yards, and was 7-of-16 passing with three interceptions for 96 yards.

Gardendale (6-1, 6-0 region) steps out of Region 6 next week as they travel to Fort Payne.