The combined threats of Carthage QB Darius Blackshire and RB Dwight Smith proved too much tonight for the Buckeyes.
Carthage ran a spread offense for most of the game, and their front line opened holes for Smith, who ran over tacklers when he couldn't run around them.
Behind Smith's running, the Bulldogs had opened a 24-7 by the half, and things looked bleak for the Buckeyes.
The second half opened better, with Gilmer's Chestnut intercepting a Blackshire pass on Carthage's first possession. Solid running by QB Godfrey and RB Jackson soon had the Buckeyes knocking on the door at the 10 yard line. Godfrey sailed a touch pass to Jackson over the heads of the Bulldog defenders for a touchdown, and Oliveras' PAT was good. The score ticked to 24-14 with 9:20 left in the third.
Carthage returned the ensuing kickoff to the 30, and again turned to Dwight Smith for a more of the grinding ground game that had worked so well in the first half. Smith didn't disappoint, running the ball four times in an eight play drive that ended with Smith scoring from 3 yards out after a Gilmer holding penalty inside the 10. With the PAT good, the score stood at 31-14 with 5:30 left in the third.
Gilmer's next possession started after a kickoff return to the 39, followed by three running plays that left them short of the first down on the 45. A clutch 4th down pass from Godfrey to Hunter Harris kept the drive alive, but it stalled on the next series of downs, and Gilmer's punt left Carthage deep in their own territory at the 10.
The Buckeye defense sacked Blackshire on a 2nd and 11 play, and he lofted an incomplete pass on third down, forcing a punt to the Gilmer 40. The Buckeyes fumbled on the run back, and were also flagged for block in the back. Carthage declined the penalty, and took possession on Gilmer's 45 yard line.
The ball changed hands again on the next play, with Dwight Smith fumbling to the Buckeyes on their 45 yard line.
Gilmer capitalized on the mistake, and Godfrey lofted three screen passes on a seven play drive, capped off by a 5 yard run by Jones for 6 points. Oliveras was again reliable, and the score tightened to a 10 point game, Carthage leading 31-21.
Gilmer's kickoff, and Carthage's run back left the ball on the Carthage 30.
Again, the Bulldogs turned to Smith, and five straight running plays drove the ball to the Gilmer 41. Blackshire threw a 22 yard pass to Jones, who tacked on 9 yards of after-catch scrambling, and Carthage was threatening inside the 10. A hand off to Clayborn over the middle, and the ball was on the five yard line.
Everyone in the stands was calling Smith's number, but Carthage decided to try a little misdirection. After faking a hand off, Blackshire aired a little touch pass designed to catch Gilmer off guard. The Buckeye secondary was having none of it, and intercepted the ball in the end zone as the third quarter ended.
Taking over on the twenty, Godfrey fired a screen pass to Jackson, who then danced down field to the Gilmer 48. Carthage was called for face masking on the play, and the penalty moved the chains to the Bulldog 43. Godfrey had three keepers and two passes on the rest of the drive, finally running in himself for six points with just under five minutes left to play. Oliveras was on the money, and the score tightened again, 31-28.
After the kickoff to the 20, Carthage ran the ball back to their 39, and then went into clock burning mode on what would be their last drive of the game.
Six running plays followed, with the Bulldogs mixing up the ball carriers after Smith was shaken up on the first play of the drive. Carthage drove to the Gilmer 35, and on 2nd down and seven, Gilmer called it's first time out, with 3:20 left to play.
Carthage reeled off 5 yards on the next play, and the Buckeye defenders needed a stop to give the offense a chance to win the game, but a hard count by Blackshire pulled Gilmer off sides, and gave the Bulldogs a first down on the 25. The Buckeye defense stepped up on the next gut-wrenching series, forcing Carthage to turn the ball over on downs on the Gilmer 16 yard line.
Godfrey and the Buckeye offense went into their "hurry up" with only 1:10 left in the game.
Their first play from scrimmage was a ten yard pass that earned the first down. Godfrey then kept the ball for an eight yard gain to the 34. With everyone expecting a short sideline pass to stop the clock, Gilmer tried a some mis-direction of their own.
Godfrey threw down field to a streaking Harrison, but the Carthage defensive back stepped in front of the throw, intercepting the pass and running it back to Gilmer's 10. Blackshire took a knee on the last play, time expired, and a fine Buckeye season ended with a hard fought loss at Stephen F. Austin University.
Carthage, now (12-2-0) advances to play Giddings next week in Corsicana, game time to be announced.
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