There was nothing complex about the message Plantation coach Steve Davis gave his defense: Contain Deerfield Beach's Donte' Dotson.

The challenge was how well the Colonels could execute.

The result turned out to be a defensive gem, creating relentless havoc that led to four turnovers and six sacks in Friday night's 38-7 win against Deerfield Beach (7-4) romp to open the 6A playoffs.

Michael Anderson ran for three touchdowns and scored again on a swing pass from Imonni Carswell, and Tim Burke jump-started the fireworks by scoring on a 37-yard punt return. But it was the play of Plantation's defense that carried the evening.

``Our game plan was to try to control [Dotson],'' Davis said. ``We knew he was the guy that ran the offense.

``Every game we saw, he was the guys making plays all over the field. Our thing was to try to spy on him and contain him.''

Dotson, who accounted for 1,920 yards of total offense during the regular season, was held to 162 yards passing and minus-8 rushing. His night was finished with 4 ½ minutes left, hurting his left shoulder when he was hit while chasing down a bad snap.

Charles Smith had two of Plantation's six sacks and recovered a fumble, and Ryan Shazier added a sack and fumble recovery. Deerfield Beach fumbled five times on the evening and lost four.

Plantation (8-3) earned a rematch next week against Miramar, their 6A-District 10 rival who beat Northeast on Friday. A September meeting found the Colonels on the wrong end of a 29-7 score.

``We just have to flush this one out of our system,'' Davis said. ``There's no time to celebrate in the playoffs. We've got to focus and get ready for the next one.''

Anderson's night included touchdown jaunts of 67 just before halftime and 47 yards to ice the game in the fourth quarter. He finished with 178 yards on 16 carries. Carswell also found Anderson on a rollout for the first of the Colonels' three TDs in the final quarter.

• Region 3-6A quarterfinal -- Carol City 30, Cypress Bay 16: Carol City cashed in on a lucky play as punter Teandric Slocum outran the defense for an 82-yard touchdown to seal the Chiefs' victory at Traz Powell.

Clinging to a seven-point lead and facing fourth-and-13 from their own 18-yard line with 21 seconds remaining in the game, Carol City coaches instructed Slocum to run around the back of the end zone and take a safety, taking as much time off the clock as he could.

Slocum, however, took the snap, ran into the left corner of the end zone, then dashed up the Cypress Bay sideline as all of the Lightning defenders had run upfield in an attempt to block the punt.

Slocum said he saw an opening on the side and decided to make a play.

Carol City (7-4) advances to the region 3-6A semifinals next Friday, where it will host district foe Krop.

Cypress Bay coach Mark Guandolo said he feels the worse for his seniors.

``We had a lot of guys out coming into this game, then we lost two others during the game, so it was tough,'' Guandolo said. ``I'm very proud of this senior group though, they worked their butts off and did everything we asked of them.''

Juan Montoya led Cypress Bay in rushing, finishing with 125 yards and a score.

-- J.T. WILCOX

• Region 3-6A quarterfinal -- Miramar 49, Northeast 3: With more punts than completed passes in the first half for the Patriots, it was the teams special teams that got them going.

Ivan McCartney's two punt returns for touchdowns was the fitting spark for his team to rout Northeast.

The win catapults Miramar to host the second round game against Plantation next Friday.

-- SERGIO BONILLA