FB: Bulldogs capture thriller over Lindale
the open for a big chunk of yardage against Lindale.
Holland ran for 254 yards Friday. (Photo by Chris
Keating)
Carthage – Lindale and No.2-ranked Carthage combined for 89 in an early season nondistrict thriller here at Bulldog Stadium Friday night. But it was the action in the final minute of play that stole the show as Carthage quarterback Anthony Morgan hit Cortlyn Ware on a 58-yard fade route with 35 seconds remaining to give CHS their 30th straight win.
Carthage, which was nursing a 30-game winning streak and hadn’t played Lindale since the 1993 season, used a balanced offensive attack that racked up a total of 588 total yards (289 rushing, 299 passing). The ground attack for the Bulldogs was on the legs of running back Hunter Holland, while QB Anthony Morgan controlled the air attack.
Holland rushed for a game high of 254 yards on 27 carries (9.4 avg.) with two rushing touchdowns (80, 40) and one receiving (13). He also added four receptions for 36 yards to his game high night.
Morgan had another big night completing 15-of-21 passes (71.4 %) for 299 yards with three touchdowns (13, 25, and 58) and one interception. He connected with six different receivers in the game. Each one of his touchdown passes were to three different receivers.
Claiborne was the hot receiver last week in Jacksonville, but Cortlyn Ware highlighted the night with his three catches for 113 yards and the go ahead touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.
Lindale’s offense was manned by the footwork of running back John Ryzman, who had 23 carries for 124 yards with four touchdowns. Price passed for 165 yards with one touchdown while completing 16-of-26 passes (61.5%).
The two high powered offenses made the two defenses look bad on Friday night at Bulldog Stadium. The defenses from both schools made some key stops forcing the offenses to punt, but not too often.
“The way they (the Eagles) run their offense kept our defense off-balance all night,” Carthage head coach Scott Surratt said after the game. “Luckily we executed enough to win it at the end.”
The game was like a rocking horse, Carthage would take the lead, but then Lindale would tie the contest on their next series. For the first three quarters, the score was knotted at the end of each quarter.
The Bulldogs kept their streak alive with the win as they improve to 2-0 for the season. The Eagles fall to 1-1 for the season after the tough loss. Carthage will travel to Chapel Hill next Friday night for its next contest, and Lindale will match up with Hallsville for their third game of the season.
After both teams exchanged punts on their opening drives, Carthage put the first points on the board when Claiborne waltz into the end zone for the 10-yard touchdown run.
Lindale answered with a promising drive which resulted in Price connecting with Aaron Smith for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs only needed one play to take the advantage again. Holland broke away from the Eagle defense for an 80-yard touchdown run.
With a great kickoff return, Lindale was able to tie the game as the horn sounded on Ryzman’s first touchdown run of the night for four yards.
The Eagles took the lead for the first time on the night mid-way through the second quarter when Price scrambled for the four-yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs answered with less than a minute to play until halftime, as Morgan dumped a screen pass to Holland for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
Carthage scored first in the third quarter on a two-yard quarterback sneak by Morgan to give the Bulldogs the advantage, 28-21. Lindale tied the contest at the 3:25 mark on a Ryzman three-yard touchdown run.
The final period was a wild one. A missed extra point try after the Bulldogs’ second touchdown of the quarter gave Lindale hope. If they could score and kick the successful PAT, then they could be the first team to defeat Carthage at home and end the 30-game winning streak.
The Eagles tried to waste as much time off the clock as possible. With less than a minute left in the game, Ryzman scored on a 6-yard run. James Crews extra point sailed through the uprights to give Lindale a 42-41 lead.
That set up the wild finish and another big win for the Bulldogs to keep the streak alive.
STATS AT A GLANCE SCORING BY QUARTERS INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
CHS LHS
First Downs 25 24
Rushes-Yards 31-289 36-184
Passing Yards 299 165
Total Yards 588 349
Passes 15-21-1 17-27-1
Punts 2-28.0 3-42.0
Fumbles 0-0 3-0
Penalties 13-115 3-30
3rd Down Conv. 2/6 4/10
4th Down Conv. 0/1 1/2
Carthage 14 07 07 19 = 47
Lindale 14 07 07 14 = 42
Rushing
Carthage: Hunter Holland 27-254 2TD; Tamonte Hines 2-23; Jalen Claiborne 1-10 1TD; Anthony Morgan 1-2 1TD. Lindale: John Ryzman 23-124 4TD; Clay Price 9-59 1TD; Josiah Johnson 2-3; Demarcus Lynch 2-(-2).
Passing
Carthage: Anthony Morgan 15-21-1 299 yards 3TD. Lindale: Clay Price 17-27-1 165 yards 1TD.
Receiving
Carthage: Jalen Claiborne 3-53 1TD; Cortlyn Ware 3-113 TD; Hunter Holland 4-36 1TD; E.J. Thomas 3-78; Rickey Ingram 1-6; Marcus Williams 1-13. Lindale: Aaron Smith 2-64 1TD; Josiah Johnson 2-31; John Ryzman 5-29; James Crews 2-28; Chris Terry 2-10; David Nees 3-2.
Records / Up Next
Carthage 2-0 / Sept. 10 vs. Chapel Hill; Lindale 1-1 / Sept. 10 vs. Hallsville.