Second-Ranked Carthage Outguns Jacksonville in 42-28 Road Win

[By Larry Krantz, Special to ETSN.fm]

JACKSONVILLE -- Blake Bogenschutz threw three touchdowns to Terian "Tee" Goree, and Tevin Pipkin ran for another two as the Carthage Bulldogs beat the Jacksonville Indians 42-28 in Friday's season opener at the Tomato Bowl.

Bogenschutz, who ran for the game’s first touchdown, completed 15 of 28 passes for 281 yards, including a game-sealing 36-yard touchdown to Goree with 8:18 remaining.

The Bulldogs, the Associated Press' No. 2 team in Class 3A, never trailed. Jacksonville tied the game 14-14 midway through the second quarter before Bogenschutz capped a 13-play, 89-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Goree just before halftime.

Goree finished with eight catches for 145 yards. Carthage outgained Jacksonville 511-485 to avenge last year's 34-30 home loss to the Indians. The Bulldog win also evened the all-time series 29-29.

Pipkin, who scored on runs of 24 and 22 yards, finished with 183 yards on 19 carries in addition to hauling in a 21-yard pass that set up Goree’s go-ahead score just before halftime.

Jacksonville twice cut the Carthage lead to seven down the stretch, but could come no closer.

Tribe junior quarterback Carter McCown completed passes to five different receivers: seven each to seniors Tony Lane and Trent Sansom and sophomore Cash Cleaver. Senior receiver Claude Franklin caught five passes for 115 yards.

Lane caught McCown’s only touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. Efficient throughout the game, McCown completed 27 of 41 passes for 308 yards and one touchdown.

After their first two drives ended in a turnovers-on-downs and a lost fumble, the Indians rallied to tie the game with back-to-back scoring drives. Senior running back Stacy Cummings capped a six-play, 76-yard drive with a 10-yard run, but later suffered an injury and missed the second half.

The Jacksonville defense got the ball back for the offense on downs five plays later, setting up a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive, capped by Datavion Thacker’s 19-yard touchdown run – the first of his career.

Carthage responded with its 13-play drive on its next possession to retake the lead just before the half.

Jacksonville is at Palestine for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Thursday. Carthage visits Lindale on Friday.

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