Gilmer loses 2nd straight game

GILMER — While both batallions began the night ranked in Class 4A’s top 10, only the No. 1 Carthage Bulldogs appeared like they merited being heralded in that manner as they gashed the perennial powerhouse No. 8 Gilmer Buckeyes with Gilmer’s most lopsided licking in 41 years, 66-14, Friday night at Jeff Traylor Stadium.

Carthage totted up advantages of 28-0 in the contest’s first 7:04 and a stupefying 52-7 at twirling time in roaring to make its record 4-0. The Buckeyes, who wilted to 2-2, suffered their second consecutive defeat — the first time in eight years they have lost two in a row, and their worst defeat since a 72-0 mauling by Mount Pleasant in 1977.

The Bulldogs wasted no time begetting their blitzkrieg as Roshabrus Garrett took the opening kickoff on the bounce and bounded 86 yards to a TD. Luis Piedra airlifted the first of seven straight PATs with 11:45 left in the first period.

Then the visitors quickly detonated another depth charge as Tucker Smith swooped 27 yards to Beulah Land with 9:11 left in the opening quarter. And on its next offensive, Carthage landed another haymaker as quarterback Gunner Capps shipped a 12-yard TD to Kelvontay Dixon with 5:35 still remaining in the beginning period.

Calamity continued befalling the Buckeyes as Carthage’s Cole Whitlock blocked a Lukas Enloe punt, which Bulldog De’Aundrey Bowman returned three yards for another tally with 4:56 to go in the quarter.

Gilmer suddenly climbed off the canvas on quarterback Mason Hurt’s 41-yard TD heave to Tra Fluellen. Adan Ibarra punched the PAT with 4:00 left in the first, but the Buckeye revival was soon snuffed.

The visitors tallied on Smith’s 1-yard push into the end zone with 1:39 left in the first, and on the opening play of the second quarter on Capps’ 34-yard heave to Garrett with 11:52 left to twirling time.

After Capps proved an ace aviator again, hurling a 44-yard scoring sling to Baylor Colle with 8:08 left to the musical break, Carthage scored on the half’s final play when Alberto Garcia banged a 22-yard field goal.

The deluge continued as backup Bulldog quarterback Anthony Wilson lofted a 13-yard touchdown to Cartrell Fulton with 8:22 left in the third, and runner Jaden Thomas wheeled five yards for another TD with 4:13 left in that period. Gilmer then scored on Hurt’s 28-yard airmail to Jaydon Griffin with 1:21 left in the third.