2013 East Texas Football Games of the Year, No. 4: Carthage at Whitehouse

One of the biggest non-district matchups of the 2013 East Texas football season happens Sept. 27 at Whitehouse's Wildcat Stadium.

That's when the Class 4A preseason No. 6 Whitehouse Wildcats host Class 3A preseason No. 2 Carthage in an intriguing contest pitting teams with differing styles that produce similar results on the offensive side of the ball.

Whitehouse's shotgun-exclusive spread offense produced 45.0 points per game last season, when the 'Cats went 10-2 and reached the second round of the Class 4A Division II Region II playoffs. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a Texas Tech commit, enters his senior season after throwing for more than 3,800 yards and 46 touchdowns as a junior, while three of Whitehouse's top four receivers from a year ago -- Jake Parker, Coleman Patterson, and Jaylon Dews -- are also back. That trio caught 150 passes last season, 26 of which were touchdowns.

Carthage boasts a similar scenario. In fact, the Bulldogs are 1 of 2 East Texas teams along with Tenaha to return 10 offensive starters.

Carthage's multiple formation-heavy pro-style offense averaged 42.1 points per game last season, when the Dawgs went 11-3 and reached the 3A Division I state semifinals. They have their own Division I-caliber quarterback -- UTSA commit Blake Bogenschutz -- along with 6-foot-2 Terian "Tee" Goree and 6-foot-6 O'Keeron Rutherford at receiver. That duo grabbed 25 of Bogenschutz' 38 touchdown passes a year ago.

Tevin Pipkin is also back after his second consecutive 1,600-yard rushing season. He'll have his entire offense line return with him, including Louisiana-Lafayette commit Adrian Goodacre, a 6-foot-4, 318-pound beast on the left side.

Whitehouse won last year's contest 29-27 in Carthage in what was a lower-scoring game than many expected.

Can the Wildcats make it two in a row against the Dawgs? Will Carthage carry an unbeaten record into the game and hope to stay perfect with a road win?

We can't wait to find out.

ETSN.fm 2013 Preseason Top 25 Games of the Year

• No. 4 -- Carthage at Whitehouse
• No. 5 -- Mesquite Horn at Longview
• No. 6 -- John Tyler at Lufkin
• No. 7 — Alto at Tenaha
• No. 8 — New Boston at Daingerfield
• No. 9 — Lufkin at The Woodlands
• No. 10 — White Oak at Tatum
• No. 11 — Lancaster at John Tyler
• No. 12 — Mount Pleasant at Sulphur Springs
• No. 13 — Carthage at Jasper
• No. 14 — Whitehouse at Sulphur Springs
• No. 15 — West Sabine at Alto
• No. 16 — Gilmer vs. Henderson
• No. 17 — Tatum at Troup
• No. 18 — Center at Jasper
• No. 19 — Kilgore at Henderson
• No. 20 — Elysian Fields at Hughes Springs
• No. 21 – Longview vs. Olive Branch, Miss.
• No. 22 – Chapel Hill at Henderson
• No. 23 – Jefferson at White Oak
• No. 24 – Tenaha at Garrison
• No. 25 – Tatum at Center