ARLINGTON, Texas — In a very rare occasion, two East Texas powerhouse programs went head-to-head Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for the UIL 4A Division II state title.
Gilmer's only loss on the season came at the hands of Carthage back in September. The Bulldogs took down the Buckeyes 42-14. Friday's matchup was no different, as Carthage came away with the win, 70-14.
1ST QUARTER
11:59 - Gilmer tries an onside kick, however Carthage recovered the ball at the 50-yard line.
10:39 - Carthage comes up a yard short of the first down on 3rd-and-8. The Bulldogs go for it on fourth down and are stuffed with a 1-yard loss and turn the ball over on downs. The Buckeyes will start their first drive at their on 41-yard line.
9:22 - Gilmer scores first thanks to a 52-yard strike from Brandon Tennison to sophomore Rohan Fluellen. The extra point is good and the Buckeyes lead 7-0. This is the first time the Bulldogs trail an opponent this season.
9:19 - The Buckeyes try another onside kick and recover it at the Carthage 48-yard line.
7:12 - Brandon Tennison finds Rohan Fluellen for their second connection and the score. The extra point is good and Gilmer leads 14-0.
7:05 - The Buckeyes kick off to Carthage and the Bulldogs take it out to their own 25-yard line.
4:17 - Kai Horton passes back to Craig McNew who then reconnects with Horton for the 18-yard score. The extra point is good and the Buckeyes lead 14-7.
4:12 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who brings it out to their own 30-yard line.
1:27 - The Buckeyes go for it on 4th-and-2 and Brandon Tennison's pass is batted down. Gilmer turns the ball over on downs. The Bulldog will start the drive on their own 48-yard line.
:45 - On 3rd-and-9, the Bulldogs are flagged for a false start and move back five yards for 3rd-and-14.
:40 - Carthage punts the ball away and Gilmer will bring it out to their own 29-yard line.
:30 - Gilmer's Brandon Tennison is picked off by Brandon King at the Carthage 38-yard line.
:17 - Gilmer gets flagged for a facemask on the tackle of Carthage quarterback Kai Horton. After what would have been 3rd-and-long for the Bulldogs is now an automatic first down.
END OF 1Q - Gilmer leads Carthage 14-7 at the end of the 1Q.
2ND QUARTER
12:00 - Carthage starts 1st-and-10 at the Gilmer 45-yard line.
10:00 - Carthage's Mason Courtney takes it 27-yards for the Bulldog touchdown. The extra point is good and Carthage ties it up at 14-all.
9:56 - Carthage kicks it off to Gilmer who brings it out to the Buckeyes' 26-yard line.
8:40 - Gilmer goes three-and-out and will punt the ball away to Carthage. The Bulldogs will start this drive on their own 24-yard line.
7:21 - Kai Horton connects with Braeden Wade who's wide open for the 29-yard touchdown pass. The extra point is good and Carthage leads Gilmer 21-14.
7:16 - The Bulldogs kick off to the Buckeyes who bring the ball out to their own 20-yard line.
7:03 - Gilmer's Brandon Tennison is picked off again by Brandon King who takes it all the way into the end zone. With the extra point, Carthage leads 28 -14. Carthage has now scored 28 unanswered points against the Buckeyes.
7:00 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who brings it out to their own 20-yard line.
6:57 - Gilmer's Brandon Tennison is picked off by Brandon King for the third time today. King completes the pick-six by taking the ball 35 yards into the end zone. The extra point is good and Carthage extends their lead over the Buckeyes to 35-14. The Bulldogs have now scored 35 unanswered points.
6:46 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who calls for a fair catch. The Buckeyes will start this drive at their own 25-yard line.
4:56 - Gilmer's Brandon Tennison is sacked on 3rd-and-15 for a loss of six. This brings up 4th-and 21 and the Buckeyes will punt the ball away. The 61-yard punt bounces all they way to the Carthage 25-yard line.
3:40 - Carthage's Kai Horton hits Kavonte Brown for the 61-yard touchdown. The extra point is good as Carthage increases their lead to 42-14 over Gilmer. The Bulldogs have scored 42 unanswered points. Back in September, the Bulldogs handed the Buckeyes their only loss on the season. The final score of that game was 42-14.
3:39 - The Bulldogs kick the ball off to Gilmer who calls for a fair catch. The Buckeyes' drive will start at their own 25-yard line.
1:30 - Gilmer is forced to punt the ball away on 4th-and-14. The Bulldogs will start this drive at their own 22-yard.
HALFTIME: Carthage leads Gilmer 42-14.
3RD QUARTER
12:00 - Gilmer receives the second-half kickoff. The Buckeyes will start their first drive of the third quarter at their own 20-yard line.
10:18 - The Buckeyes go 3-and-out and punt the ball away to the Bulldogs. Carthage starts the second half at their own 31-yard line.
10:17 - On the first play from scrimmage, Carthage's Kai Horton hands the ball off to Mason Courtney ho immediately finds a hole in the Gilmer defense and takes it 69 yards for the Bulldog touchdown. After the extra point, Carthage leads Gilmer 49-14.
10:07 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who'll start this drive at their own 10-yard line.
8:43 - Gilmer is forced to punt on fourth down and punts the ball away to the Carthage 29-yard line. At this point in the game, Carthage has racked up 425 yards to Gilmer's 144.
4:51 - Carthage's Kai Horton tosses the ball to Mason Courtney for the 23-yard touchdown. That run took Courtney to three touchdowns on the day, 221 yards for the game and more than 1,500 yards on the season. With the extra point, Carthage leads Gilmer 56-14.
4:43 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who brings it out to their own 30-yard line.
4:29 - Gilmer's Brandon Tennison airs it out, but it's picked off for the fourth time today by Carthage's Brandon King. Carthage takes over in Bulldog territory.
:27 - Carthage's Kai Horton with the shuttle pass to Montrell Smith for the 15-yard score. The extra point is good, and Carthage leads Gilmer 63-14.
END OF 3Q - Carthage leads Gilmer 63-14.
4TH QUARTER
12:00 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who'll start their drive at the 20-yard line.
11:12 - Gilmer is forced to punt on fourth down and Carthage will start this drive around their own 40-yard line.
10:58 - Carthage head coach Scott Surratt pulls all the starters in curtain call fashion as the Bulldogs' eighth title celebration begins on the sideline. The Bulldogs have also set a 4A state title game record at this point with 596 total offensive yards on the day.
4:11 - On 4th-and-three, Carthage's Javarian Rocquemore take its four yards to the corner for the score and the Bulldogs 10th touchdown of the afternoon. The extra point is good and Carthage leads 70-14. With that PAT, Carthage has just tied the record for the most points score in a Texas state championship game. In 2012, Stephenville beat El Campo in the 3A Div. I final, 70-35.
4:11 - Carthage kicks off to Gilmer who will field it out o the 24-yard line.
FINAL - Carthage beats Gilmer 70-14 for the Bulldogs' 8th state title.
Carthage's Brandon King was named the Defensive MVP, while Mason Courtney took home Offensive MVP honors.
