JOPLIN - The Bulldogs took the lead early and kept the Tigers off the scoreboard.
"We were prepared tonight," Central coach Dr. Christine Welch said. "We beat Branson and Camdenton last week and those wins have kind of fueled us. We're ready for Thursday. They're pumped up."
Following a corner kick, Central sophomore forward Noe Winston knocked in a loose ball in the 10th minute for the lone goal of the match.
Carthage had a number of scoring chances throughout the match, but the Tigers could never record an equalizer.
"One thing I was nervous about was giving up a goal and having to come from behind," Carthage coach Jacob Osborne said. "Their defense is very organized. We didn't play fast enough or sharp enough to break it down consistently."
The Tigers (13-7-2) had a golden opportunity to score with five minutes remaining after David Garcia's free kick, as a loose ball was up for grabs in front of the goal. But a shot from in close by the Tigers was off the mark.
"We had a good shot on-goal, the keeper made a save and the ball was bouncing around," Osborne said. "We didn't have anybody there to clean it up. We had our chances."
The Tigers finish the season with an overall record of 13-7-2 and 6-3 in the COC.

-Jason Peake, Joplin Globe Sports