CARTHAGE, Mo. — The night didn't lack mistakes, but the defending Class 5 state champions also never lacked a response.
After seeing a 21-point lead shrivel to 7 points by the start of the fourth quarter, the Carthage football team scored two unanswered touchdowns to dispatch a scrappy Branson squad 55-35 in a Class 5 District 6 semifinal on Friday night at David Haffner Stadium.
The triumph advanced top-seed Carthage (9-0) to the district championship to take on 2-seed Webb City (9-1), a 49-28 winner over Ozark, next Friday at Carthage High School.
"As many mistakes as we made, and we made a bunch of them, we were still able to overcome them," Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. "We were still able to bounce back and make some plays afterwards. That says a lot about the character of the kids."
An onside kick recovery enabled Branson (4-7) to log back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter to pull within 42-35 late in the third quarter. And after a turnover on downs by Carthage, the Pirates suddenly threatened to tie the game as it took possession at the Carthage 44-yard line.
But just like the season-long trend Carthage had established prior to the start of the playoffs, the Tigers found ways to dominate the game's final 12 minutes.
After three Branson plays netted minus-1 yard, the Pirates were forced to punt back to Carthage early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers then capitalized on their opportunity, going on a seven-minute, 69-yard scoring drive that was capped by a four-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Patrick Carlton. After a missed extra-point kick, Carthage led 48-35 with 3:33 remaining.
Carthage caught a needed break midway through the pivotal scoring drive when a second-and-long pass by Carlton was deflected by the outstretched hands of a Branson defender and corralled by sophomore wide receiver Hudson Moore for a 23-yard gain. It marked the final pass delivered by Carlton on an 8-of-8 night.
"(The Branson defender) came off a fade and jumped a 15-yard out (route)," Guidie said. "He should have picked it. It was right in his hands, and he tipped it. And Hudson was alert enough to make (the catch)."
It was a fitting end to a big night by Carlton, who accounted for six touchdowns and 256 yards of total offense. He rushed for three touchdowns and 101 yards on 20 attempts, and through the air, he tallied three touchdowns and 155 yards on eight completions.
"We were able to throw a little bit tonight," Guidie said. "I thought our offensive line did a good job of protecting (Carlton) when we needed them to. Pat has a strong arm. We don't use him a whole lot, but when we do, you can see how affective he is. He can spin it."
Carlton had touchdown passes of 17 and 23 yards before his last of the night came on a 34-yard strike to senior wide receiver Justin Sneed to give Carthage a 28-21 lead right before halftime. Sneed finished with two catches, both resulting in touchdowns.
"It was awesome and I felt great," Carlton said. "My offensive line game me a lot of time on those passes. We just passed the ball really well tonight."
The Tigers put the final nail in the coffin after a turnover on downs by Branson late in the fourth quarter, when backup QB Cooper Jadwin, a sophomore, reached pay dirt on a 12-yard run. The score extended Carthage's lead to 20 points with 38 ticks remaining.
Early Carthage mistakes left the door open for Branson in the first half as the Tigers committed a pair of turnovers — one on a muffed punt return and another on a lost fumble — that resulted in 14 points for the Pirates.
Branson held a 21-20 lead with two minutes left in the first half — the latest deficit Carthage had faced in a game since its Week 2 win at Carl Junction that required a fourth-quarter comeback.
However, the Tigers went on to score 21 straight points to take a 42-21 lead by the 8:44-mark of the third quarter. The final score of Carthage's surge — a 6-yard TD run by Carlton — was set up by an interception by junior defensive back Caden Kabance.
Sophomore running back Luke Gall led Carthage in rushing with 135 yards on 15 carries. His 64-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave the Tigers a 14-7 lead.
Junior Riley Barker caught two passes for Carthage and accounted for the game's first score on a 17-yard touchdown reception midway through the first quarter.
For Branson, running back Cristian Berumen had three touchdowns and 131 yards on 14 carries, while quarterback Tristan Pierce went 11-of-16 passing for 121 yards and a touchdown.
-Jared Porter, Joplin Globe Sports