Carthage Bulldog Stadium on Thursday November 11, 2021 –
In a fast-paced high scoring game, the Shelbyville Dragons varsity football team outlasted the Carlisle Indians and won by a 53-43 score. The game was a UIL Bi-District Playoff played at Carthage Bulldogs Stadium, a neutral site for both teams.
The Dragons gained the lead first when Talarrian Lister scored on a 67-yard touchdown run with 11:05 left in the first quarter. Ty Merriman added an extra point kick and Shelbyville took a 7-0 advantage.
Carlisle wasted no time answering the score as Brody Eaves scored on a 16-yard run. Eaves added an extra point kick to tie the game at 7-7 with 9:56 minutes left in the first quarter.
Twenty-two seconds later Zay Cartwright regained the lead for the Dragons with an explosive 70-yard touchdown run with 9:34 left in the opening period. The extra point attempt sailed wide and SHS held a 13-7 advantage.
On the first play of the second quarter Carlisle retook the lead when Eaves scored his second touchdown of the day on a 1-yard run. Aaron Gallegos kicked an extra point to give Carlisle a narrow 14-13 advantage with 11:55 left in the second period.
On the Indians next possession Dragon Franydric Buckley intercepted an Indians pass and gave Shelbyville the ball on their own 33-yard line. Lister took a first down carry 68 yards for a Dragons score and gave SHS a 21-14 advantage with 3:43 left in the second stanza. One minute later Adabran Davis intercepted a pass and gave Shelbyville good field position at their 40-yard line. The Dragons were able to drive the ball, and with 1:03 left in the first half, Jakory Standley hit Tre McGee for a 34-yard touchdown reception which gave SHS a 27-14 lead at halftime.
Eaves hit Bobby Garza for a Carlisle score with less than nine minutes left in the third period to cut the Dragon’s lead to 27-21.
Cartwright scored his second touchdown on a 50-yard run with 8:22 left in the third quarter to give the Dragons a 33-21 lead. McGee later caught his second touchdown from Standley and gave SHS a 39-21 advantage with 5:54 left in the third frame.
Gallegos scored for Carlisle with 1:06 left in the third quarter and Shelbyville held a 39-28 advantage going into the final period of play.
With 6:30 left in the game, Adabran Davis intercepted a Carlisle pass and raced 33 yards for a Dragons score. Shelbyville led 46-28.
Zeshaun Reed caught a pass from Eaves and scored a touchdown for the Indians with 4:59 remaining. This cut the SHS lead to 46-35.
Cartwright added another touchdown run to his resume with 4:44 left in the game and the Dragons led 53-35.
The final minute saw Carlisle score on a blocked punt and add a 2-point conversion but the Dragons were able to kneel-off the remaining time on the clock and take the 53-43 win.
The win gives Shelbyville a 7-4 overall record. They will move on to face the Holland Hornets at Athens High School on Friday, November 19 at 7 p.m. Holland (8-3) defeated Leon by a 40-7 score. This will be the Area round of Class 2A Division 1 playoffs.
