CARTHAGE, Mo. — Four times the Carthage defense was asked to make a fourth-down stop, two of those times from within their own 10-yard line. They were a perfect four-for-four. So, too, was the Tigers’ offense in turning those extra chances into touchdowns.
It all added up to a 47-7 drubbing of the Neosho Wildcats (2-3) at David Haffner Stadium for Carthage (4-1).
Neosho came into the game averaging more than 50 points per game, but was limited to one score, a 50-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jared Siler.
“Defensively, we played fantastic,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. “Everybody told us what a big shootout it was going to be and all that, and our guys stepped up to the challenge tonight and defended a very, very explosive offense … When it was time to bow up a little bit, our guys did and we kept them out of the end zone, so I can’t say enough about (assistant) coach (Chris) Edwards and the defensive staff, those guys prepared this week, and that’s not an easy offense to prepare for.”
Outside of the four turnovers on downs and Siler’s touchdown, Neosho was forced to punt three times in its nine total drives.
The Tigers’ offense was essentially the reverse experience as it found the end zone every time it touched the ball, with the exception of a fourth-quarter interception by senior quarterback and first-year starter Cooper Jadwin.
Two-way standout Luke Gall had four total touchdowns, three on the ground and one reception and totaled 152 rushing yards on 20 carries. The Tigers called significantly more pass plays than in previous games this season as Jadwin completed seven-of-12 attempts for 163 yards through the air, including three consecutive completions of 7, 27 and 34 yards on the Tigers’ first drive of the second half.
The last of those throws was hauled in by senior receiver Hudson Moore on a well-placed jump ball that set up a Jadwin TD run on the very next play. The second was the touchdown pass to Gall.
“Maybe a little bit of both,” Guidie said, asked if the increased passing attack was a specific plan for Neosho or a wrinkle that could be incorporated in the offense more often in the future. “(Jadwin) threw a couple really nice balls, nice fade to ‘Hud,’ threw a curl route, but I know Cooper, and I know he’s probably upset with himself on some of those other decisions and balls that were thrown and he’s a kid that’s going to come back to work and do everything he can to try and fix those things.”
Both teams are at home next week as the Tigers host Ozark and Neosho welcomes Branson in Week 6.
