By Greg Morse (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Getting the run game going is an important part of controlling any football game. Carthage did just that on Friday night, dominating Carl Junction 42-18.
Carl Junction got on the board first with a field goal from junior Camryn Simon. Carthage immediately roared back with an 86-yard kick return by junior Tyler Mueller.
A few plays later, quarterback Zeke Sappington ran the ball in for a 1-yard touchdown. It would be his first of four rushing touchdowns in a game that saw Sappington and Mueller combine for more than 275 yards.
Having such a solid run game, Carthage quickly took control of the game.
“We were really focused on the running game,” said Sappington, “Tyler Mueller had a great week at Jamboree. (Then) that first week, we’re running through him a lot, so I think that was our main goal, to give him the ball and let him run it, and that’s what he did. He ran it well.”
After taking a 14-3 lead early in the first quarter, Carl Junction brought the game back within one score on a 16-yard rushing touchdown by senior quarterback Joe Kennedy early in the second quarter.
From that point on Carthage’s defense put on a dominant show, smothering the Bulldogs’ offense.
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The Tigers defense finished with six sacks. Sophomore Patrick Carlton got two sacks himself, and juniors Bobby and Trulyn Kendrick gave the Bulldog’s a headache all night with multiple tackles and pass break-ups.
The Tigers were not completely perfect though, as early on they held the Bulldogs to a three-and-out, but muffed the punt allowing the Bulldogs to regain possession on the Carthage 46. Carthage’s defense answered the bell again by forcing a three-and-out.
Carthage had scored two more times before the end of the half, taking a 28-10 lead thanks to Sappington’s 49- and 40-yard rushing touchdowns. Both were scored on the same type of play.
“We had already run that sweep once so it wasn’t a surprise play. We had good, great blocks around the edge, to set it and give me a wide-open hole. It wasn’t me, it was all blocking, I just got lucky with it,” said Sappington.
Coming out of the locker room Sappington scored yet another six-yard rushing touchdown, leaving the home team looking for answers.
Carl Junction gained some momentum after quarterback Kennedy scored a 25-yard rushing touchdown, and converted a two-point conversion to bring the game to 34-18 late in the third quarter.
Carthage would salt the game away by chewing clock on the ensuing possession. The drive finished with a four-yard touchdown run by sophomore Patrick Carlton.
“I was expecting a battle, this is a good football team. Carl Junction might be the best 0-2 football team in the state right now,” said Carthage Head Coach Jon Guidie after the game. “We just wanted to come in and run the football, really get the ground game going early, that would be an advantage to us, and we did.”
Carthage takes on Joplin next week at home, while Carl Junction heads off to face Republic in a road game next Friday night.
