Carthage Stays Unbeaten With Win Against Kilgore

CARTHAGE -- Keaontay Ingram was recruited by the University of Texas for a reason, and that reason is not a secret.
Ingram, who helped the Carthage Bulldogs to a 4A Division I state championship last year, was in rare form Friday night in this home game, a big game against visiting Kilgore, who had beaten Carthage the last two seasons. Ingram ran for 269 yards and scored five touchdowns, including a 71-yarder, in a 50-20 win over Kilgore.
Carthage is now 6-0, 2-0 in District 9-4A Division I, and will visit Center next week. Kilgore drops to 5-2 on the season, 2-1 in district play, and hosts Henderson.
Kilgore got the upper hand early, forcing Carthage into a punt after three straight incomplete passes to start the game. Kilgore scored on its first drive, a 44-yard touchdown by Briant Mumphrey with 10:34 left in the first quarter.
Carthage matched the seven with an 8-yard touchdown by Ingram, after he had gained 50 yards on Carthage's first-down play.
Kilgore broke the tie with a 9-yard run by Nick Hooper, going back up 14-7, still in the first quarter.
Kilgore appeared to have gotten what it wanted, a turnover on downs, at their own 20 on Carthage's next drive, but then on Kilgore's first-down play, an errant running play ended with Jaiden Zackery being tackled in the end zone for a safety. Carthage trailed 14-9, got the ball back, and went to work immediately. Gunner Capps completed a 49-yard pass to Dewaylon Ingram, and a 36-yard pass to Dequavius Bowens. It was Capps and Dewaylon Ingram connecting again on a 2-yard pass that put Carthage in front, 15-14. The two-point conversion failed.
Kilgore, as it turned out, would only score once more: a 1-yard plunge by big Demorrea Richardson. That gave Kilgore back the lead, 20-15, but only momentarily. Carthage reeled off a 54-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard Ingram score, and he scored again on Carthage's next possession, a 71-yard run.
Ingram scored a fourth touchdown after Kilgore fumbled the ball at midfield with 56 seconds left in the half, and added one more, another 8-yarder, in the third quarter before exiting for the night.
Dewaylon Ingram had five catches for 82 yards and the touchdown; Bowens had four, for 49 yards; and Carthage finished with over 500 total yards of offense.
Kilgore's leader was Mumphrey, who scored the one touchdown and finished with 134 yards. Ja'Vorie Hamilton had 104 yards, and quarterback Patrick Jackson had 37 yards. He was 5-of-9 for 51 yards passing, with three completions to Jonathan Shepherd for 30 yards.