WAYNESVILLE - Welcome to the neighborhood.

The Waynesville Tigers got a taste of just how tough the competition in the Central Ozarks Conference (COC) can be Friday, Aug. 30, as they were beaten by Carthage 55-7 at rainy WHS Tiger Stadium.

It was not a conference game for Waynesville, as it will play in the COC East Division while the Carthage Tigers are a COC West Division squad.

The game was competitive throughout the first period, as each team scored a touchdown. Carthage opened the scoring late in the opening quarter after WHS was forced to punt from deep in its own territory and Carthage took over on the Waynesville 35 yardline. Carthage scored on five consecutive rushing attempts – all by senior running back Landyn Collins, the last one from five yards out to cap the drive. The PAT made it 1:26.

Two plays from scrimmage later Waynesville senior running back Michael Kelsey, Jr. answered by breaking off a 93-yard TD run with just 14 seconds left in the period. Senior Braylin Scott's extra point tied it up.

However, it was all Carthage from there on, as it reeled off five more touchdowns in the second quarter on the strength of senior quarterback Brady Carlton. Carlton who passed and rushed for more than 1,000 yards each last season, scored the first three TDs in the second quarter, on a one-yard run, an eight-yard run and on a 26-yard pass to senior tight end Karson Murray.

Waynesville bobbled a punt to set up a short field for Carthage and failed to convert twice on fourth-down situations during the rough second period Carthage ended the first-half scoring with a four-yard TD run by Collins and a one-yard TD catch by Murray from backup QB Zane Browning.

It was 41-7 entering halftime.

Carthage opened the second half with an eight-play, 93-yard scoring drive, with Collins scoring this third TD on a one-yard run.

With the turbo clock running the rest of the way, Carthage reserves added one more TD run with under five minutes left. Senior kicker Luis Fuentes added his seventh PAT in eight attempts.

Unofficially Carthage had 423 yards of total offense compared to 242 for Waynesville. Waynesville completed just one pass for a minus-six yards.

Kelsey, Jr. led the way for Waynesville with an unofficial 175 rushing yards on 21 attempts.

Carlton rushed for 114 yards and passed for another 126 while Collins ran for 89 yards to power Carthage.

Waynesville hits the road for Week 2, traveling to Republic to take on the 2023 Missouri Class 5 state runners-up (7 p.m. kickoff).

The unofficial box score:

First Downs: WHS 9, CHS 18

Yards Rushing: WHS 248, CHS 284

Yards Passing: WHS minus-6, CHS 139

Total Yards: WHS 242, CHS 423

Passing: WHS 1-3, CHS 6-8

Int. Thrown: WHS 0, CHS 0

Penalties: WHS 6-35, CHS 4-35

The score by periods:

Carthage         7  34  7  7-55

Waynesville   7     0  0  0- 7

The scoring plays:

Carthage: Collins five-yard run, Fuentes kick (1:26).

WHS: Kelsey, Jr. 93-yard run, Scott kick (:14).

Carthage: Carlton one-yard run, Fuentes kick (11:55).

Carthage: Carlton eight-yard run, Fuentes kick (8:02).

Carthage: Murray 26-yard pass from Carlton, Fuentes kick (6:03).

Carthage: Collins four-yard run, Fuentes kick (3:43).

Carthage: Murray one-yard pass from Browning, kick fails (:09).

Carthage: Collins one-yard run, Fuentes kick (8:18).

Carthage: West six-yard run, Fuentes kick (4:38).

Rushing – Waynesville: Kelsey, Jr. 21 for 175, Maust 8 for 12, Wright 4 for 25, Joshway 4 for 37, Castro 1 for minus-1. Carthage:Collins 14 for 89, Carlton 8 for 114, Hettinger 1 for 15, Morgan 1 for 1, Browning 3 for 13, West 5 for 40, Childs 1 for 10, Cardenas 1 for 2.

Passing – Waynesville: Maust 0-2-0-0, Castro 1-1-6-0. Carthage: Carlton 4-6-126-0, Browning 2-2-13-0.

Receiving – Waynesville: Wright 1 for minus-6. Carthage: Murray 3 for 65, Yates 3 for 62, Nichols 1 for 12.
-Dave Roberts, Pulaski County Weekly.com