There’s no flustering Carthage.
Not after going down after the first possession, not after a surprise onside kick, not even after going down 14-0 in the 4A DII state championship game. Scott Surratt’s team can’t be wavered.
Impressively composed, the Bulldogs erased a two-score deficit to roll 70-14 against Gilmer (14-1) to earn the program their eighth state championship in 14 years.
Even while facing a 14-0 hole and after turning the ball over on downs on the first possession, Surratt knew there was plenty of time. It was the largest deficit Carthage (13-0) faced all year, though, this was a team that hadn’t won any game by less than 17 points.
Gilmer quarterback Brandon Dennison connected with sophomore Rohan Fluellen on two scores from 52 yards out and then again from 18 yards out. The perfect start for the Buckeyes.
“There was no panic,” Surratt said. “We just kept playing and then we got in a rhythm and felt like we were the better team if we kept playing and obviously, we were.
“This whole group’s going to play hard for 48 minutes and we made a few mistakes early. (Gilmer) capitalized and after that, we played clean football.”
To generate a spark, Surratt called a play he kept up his sleeve all season. A wide receiver screen throw-back from Craig McNew to quarterback Kai Horton who followed his blockers for an 18-yard score. The machine was online.
“We hadn’t ran it all year, haven’t shown it,” Horton said. “We ran it maybe twice last year, but we knew it was going to be a great play and Craig McNew made a great throw. He made a play with his feet and got away from the defender and I saw my linemen out in front.”
Following two more scores, one on a 37-yard breakaway from Mason Courtney, to take a 21-14 lead, junior corner Brandon King put things to bed on his side of the ball.
Already sitting on one interception in the first quarter, King ran back two tip-drill pick sixes on consecutive possessions from Brandon Tennison in the second quarter. He later added a fourth pick during the third quarter and was named Defensive MVP. All on his birthday.
“We knew coming in our defense, they got off to a rough start, but we knew they were going to have our backs and they’ve been doing it all season long and they deserve it,” Horton said.
The rest of the game was an onslaught from Carthage’s balanced attack and imposing offensive line. Led by Horton through the air (243 yards passing, three touchdowns) and Courtney’s punishing runs on the ground (243 yards rushing, three touchdowns), the Bulldogs rumbled for 70 unanswered. Courtney was named the game’s Offensive MVP.
“I have the best O-Line in the state and I wouldn’t want to do it with no one else besides them guys,” Courtney said. “Every single one of them has a huge role to play and they did it tonight.”
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