KILLEEN — Lake Belton closed its second regular season as a playoff-eligible program in the same way it finished its first just a year ago. The Broncos defeated the Killeen Ellison Eagles.

And they left no doubt while doing it.

Lake got three touchdowns from standout receiver Micah Hudson in the initial 17 minutes — the first on his game-opening 95-yard kickoff return — as it cruised to a 30-point halftime lead en route to bulldozing into the postseason with a 57-7 rout of the Eagles in a District 4-5A-I finale Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium.

Hudson finished with four touchdowns in leading the Broncos (8-2, 6-2) to a victory that gave them the same record as last year at this time. Unlike last fall when Lake Belton had to beat the Eagles to secure a playoff spot, the Broncos already knew next week’s postseason foe prior to Friday’s kickoff.

The third seed out of 4-5A-I, Lake will travel to Denton Ryan for a bi-district playoff at 7 p.m. next Friday.

But Lake Belton first made a point to put its best foot forward as it heads into its second playoff game in as many years by staying sharp against Ellison. The Broncos built a 57-point lead before the Eagles avoided a shutout by scoring in the final 4 minutes.

“This is our last regular-season game, so we’re just trying to come out here and do everything the right way — come out here and handle business and do what we need to do,” said Hudson, who notched TDs of 17 and 39 yards on passes from Eli Mascarenas and later on a 2-yard carry up the middle after his 29-yard catch got Lake to the Ellison 1. The scoring plunge provided a 37-0 lead with 10:33 left in the third quarter.

Hudson had seven catches for 143 yards as the Broncos outgained the Eagles 591-243.

“We want to come out here and make the plays and just be dominant the whole game, on special teams, defense, offense, even on the sideline, just having that juice,” Hudson said.

Hudson gave his team the lead for good just 14 seconds into the game when he fielded the opening kick, navigated through traffic near the 20 then sprinted around the right side to take it to the house.

It immediately gave the Texas Tech-committed senior a TD in his ninth straight game and gave his team a lead it didn’t relinquish.

Hudson finished off an 11-play, 95-yard scoring drive with a 17-yard touchdown grab along the right side to give the Broncos a 13-0 lead at the close of the first quarter. Caleb Santana grabbed a 29-yard reception from Macarenas on a third down to extend the drive.

“I think we were physical. I think we were clicking on all cylinders. I think our defense played well. I’m really proud of them. I’m really proud of our kids and our coaches,” said Lake Belton head coach Brian Cope, whose team scored on four of its first five possessions, forced two turnovers, had six sacks and limited Ellison (2-8, 2-6) to 44 first-half yards as it dominated from start to finish. “We didn’t let down in the second half, either.”

Indeed the Broncos didn’t.

Though Lake pulled its starters through the final 24 minutes, the Broncos continued to light up the scoreboard, with Cameron Hamilton’s 52-yard touchdown run midway through the third and a pair of TD strikes from backup quarterback Chance Scott to Zach Dodd in the final 13 minutes.

Scott first found Dodd for a 9-yard score and later for a 98-yard touchdown after Dodd slipped past an Ellison defender along the right sideline midway through the final period.

Scott was 5-of-5 for 149 yards and two scores, while Mascarenas finished 14-of-25 for 219 yards, three touchdowns — he also connected with Ty Legg on a 22-yard first-half TD — and one interception.

Hamilton had a game-best 134 yards rushing on 19 carries, and Dodd grabbed five passes for 131 yards for Lake. Tommy Stephens made a 26-yard field late in the first half.

“We’re trying to get ready to go,” Cope said. “We have a tough test next week, but that’s what it’s about — 5A-D1 playoffs, there’s no slouches in our region. So we have a great opportunity to see what we can do against a perennial state power. That’s all you can ask for. You have to get in first and get you a chance to try and get a gold football.”

n jbrooks@tdtnews.com

LAKE BELTON 57, KILLEEN ELLISON 7

Lake Belton 13 17 20 7 — 57

Ellison 0 0 0 7 — 7

LB — Micah Hudson 95 kickoff return (kick failed)

LB — Hudson 17 pass from Eli Mascarenas (Tommy Stephens kick)

LB — Ty Legg 22 pass from Mascarenas (Stephens kick)

LB — Hudson 39 pass from Mascarenas (Stephens kick)

LB — Stephens 26 field goal

LB — Hudson 2 run (Stephens kick)

LB — Cameron Hamilton 52 run (Hunter Hutchins kick)

LB — Zach Dodd 9 pass from Chance Scott (kick blocked)

LB — Dodd 98 pass from Scott (Hutchins kick)

Ell — Sidney Holland 2 run (Johnny Zamudio kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

LB Ell

First downs 27 11

Rushes-yards 37-235 38-158

Passing yards 358 85

Comp.-Att.-Int. 18-29-1 12-32-1

Punts-average 0 6-35.0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 4-25 2-25

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Lake Belton: Hamilton 19-134, Jivan Phillips 5-38, Mascarenas 6-23, Scott 1-16, Zyquavion Thomas 1-14, Trapper Goodwin 3-12, Hudson 1-2, team 1-(-4); Ellison: Trevon Jones-Lockhart 10-70, Nyzir Baker 4-48, Xavier Dormeus 12-18, Nicholas Billups-Young 2-11, Tay’Veon Johnson 1-7, Holland 8-4, Joseph Fowlkes 1-0.

PASSING — Lake Belton: Mascarenas 14-25-1-219, Scott 5-5-0-149; Ellison: Dormeus 4-10-0-54, Holland 8-22-1-31.

RECEIVING — Lake Belton: Hudson 7-143, Dodd 5-131, Legg 2-30, Caleb Santana 1-29, Bryce Davis 1-18, Cash Robin 2-17; Ellison: Jamaal Jenkins 2-56, Prince Hall 1-8, Trevarus Turner-Smith 2-8, Jordyn Jews 3-5, Johnson 2-4, Fowlkes 2-4.