Carthage Hands Center First Conference Loss

October 16, 2016 - The Carthage Bulldogs varsity football team got the better end of their District 9 4A game, with a 42-16 rout over the Center Roughriders, last Friday, at Bulldogs Stadium.

Junior running back Keaontay Ingram led Carthage (4-2, 1-2) with 169 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Kason Davis passed for a pair of touchdowns.

Carthage, who dropped its first two district games to Henderson and Kilgore, snapped Center’s four-game winning streak. Center came into the game with a 3-0 conference mark after beating Bullard, Palestine and Chapel Hill. They are now 5-3 overall and post a 3-1 league standing.

Carthage turned two first-half turnovers into two touchdowns to build a 35-7 lead at halftime. It took just over two minutes for Carthage to go 70 yards in seven plays after the Roughriders deferred possession to begin the game, and the Bulldogs converted a fourth-down-and-11 situation at their own 29-yard line. The drive was capped by a Davis to Dequvius Bowens touchdown from 46 yards out.

Center’s lone score of the first half came on a 4-yard Adrian Johnson touchdown run with 5:56 remaining in the first period which tied the game at 7-7.

At halftime the stats largely favored the Bulldogs. Carthage led in first downs with a 12-8 advantage. The Bulldogs were out-rushing Center by a 125-13 yard margin, and led in passing 151-133 yards. In total yardage, Carthage led 276 yards to 146 at the midway intermission.

Center’s next touchdown came via a fumble return for a 61-yard score by Romario Brown which pulled Center to within 42-14 of the Bulldogs with 6 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. Center also scored a safety on a bad Carthage snap late in the contest.

Carthage rushed for 170 yards and rushed for 203. Their offensive total was 373. Center passed for 161 yards and rushed for 73. Their total was 234. Each team had 19 first downs during the contest.

Kyle Parks had the bulk of the passing yardage for Center accumulating 150 yards on 14 completions from 23 attempts. He rushed for -5 yards on 7 carries. JaCarlos Hall led the ‘Riders with 71 yards on 15 rushing attempts.

Center will host the Henderson Lions next Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Lions are 6-1 and suffered their first loss to the Kilgore Bulldogs by a narrow 28-26 margin.