JASPER — Gardendale scored on three straight possessions in the first quarter to put Walker away early, as the Rockets picked up a lopsided 48-28 victory Friday night.

Walker’s vaunted defense, ranked among the best in 6A, was no match for Zach Cupps and crew.

The Gardendale quarterback threw for 218 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone while adding another 42 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Running backs Tye Dunklin and Dequa Houston added three touchdowns in the first half as the Rockets built a 34-7 lead.

Walker’s offense got off to a slow start, as they dropped a touchdown pass on a fourth down play on their opening possession.

Conversely, Gardendale was clicking from the start.

The Rockets methodically moved the ball down the field on their first scoring drive, going 66 yards in 11 plays. Gardendale had three straight plays of 10 or more yards before Cupps went into the end zone from five yards out for a 7-0 advantage at the 5:29 mark.

Dunklin added a 1-yard score three minutes later as the Rockets took a 14-0 lead. But Gardendale wasn’t done in the opening quarter just yet; with four seconds left, Cupps hit Blake Zumbado for a 65-yard strike for a 21-0 lead.

Walker had just 17 yards in the opening quarter.

The Vikings took advantage of a short field and scored on a 5-yard run from Jackson Holladay to cut the gap to 21-7 with 9:24 left in the first half.

Gardendale added two short touchdown runs in the second quarter. Both were set up by long passes from Cupps.

Dunklin added the first from one yard out and Houston scored on a 2-yard run in the closing minutes for a 34-7 halftime lead.

Gardendale’s defense struck early in the third quarter when Kishon Hardy picked off a Holladay pass and raced 15 yards to the end zone for a 41-7 lead.

Walker (9-3) scored the next two touchdowns. Holladay connected with Isiah Cox on a 23-yard touchdown strike with 4:40 left in the third quarter, making the score 41-14. Cox scored the next touchdown from one yard out in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter.

Dunklin added the most electrifying run of the night midway through the fourth quarter, avoiding at least five tacklers on a 55-yard run. He scored from one yard out two plays later to make the score 48-21.

Walker added the final touchdown on Holladay’s 11-yard strike to Marqell Oliver with 3:42 remaining.

For Gardendale, Cupps was 13-of-21 for 255 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

On the ground, Dunklin rushed 15 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns, Houston had 61 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and Cupps added 34 yards on seven carries. Reagan Padgett led the Rockets in receiving with three catches for 95 yards. Zumbado added four catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Andrew Freeman led the Rockets with 10 tackles. Steven Crowder added nine, and Hardy also had nine tackles to go with his pick-six.

Holladay finished the night 20-of-42 for 226 yards and two touchdowns for Walker, along with an interception. He also had a rushing touchdown.

Vikes receiver Myron Mitchell caught seven passes for 123 yards.

Gardendale (10-2) hosts Austin in a quarterfinal matchup next week. The Black Bears, who eliminated Pinson Valley in the first round last week, shut out Briarwood Christian on Friday.