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4A Div I State Semi-Finals: Carthage (11-3) vs Waco La Vega (14-0)


Dawg7031

Carthage vs Waco La Vega  

68 members have voted

  1. 1. Who will advance?

    • Carthage Bulldogs
      60
    • La Vega Pirates
      8


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No rest for the weary sounds like la vega has a great defense. my biggest concern this week is the status of #28. i know we scored 56 without him which is amazing but hes got the kind of breakaway speed which could gives us that extra score or two that we may need against this kind of team. My pick for the dawgs this year was to reach the state semis and we're here. Now the question remains, can they exceed my expectations?

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Definitely need both Ingram AND Hardy healthy against this defense. Also hoping our defense can shore themselves up after the last two games. Impressive efforts in last night's game against Silsbee, but they looked to be running on grace and fumes by the time the buzzer sounded.

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Carthage rolls past Silsbee, 56-40

source: http://www.news-journal.com/news/2015/dec/05/carthage-rolls-past-silsbee-56-40/

 

TYLER — Carthage used a quick-strike offense and a stubborn defense to down Silsbee 56-40 and advance to the state football semifinal game for the sixth time in nine seasons under head coach Scott Surratt.

The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs will take on unbeaten (14-0) Waco La Vega next weekend for the right to play for the 4A championship.

Quarterback Jarod Blissett tied a school record held by three others with six touchdown passes. The senior finished the night with 21 completions in 32 attempts for 421 yards.

Ravodney Hardy helped take up the slack at running back when sophomore Keaontay Ingram went down with an injury on his first carry of the night. Ingram sat out the remainder of the contest. Hardy rushed for 109 yards on 17 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.

Jakeldric Jackson was one of Blissett's favorite targets with three receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown. Hunter Townsend also hauled in three passes for 109 yards and a TD. Dee Bowens caught two passes for 90 yards and a pair of scores. Jarrod McLin had four catches for 39 yards.

A massive throng of Bulldog supporters followed the team and were rewarded for the hour's drive by another exciting offense showing, much like the week prior when Carthage (11-3) upset top-ranked Navasota.

The Dogs took a 21-14 halftime lead but the fireworks were just getting started.

Silsbee took the second half kick-off and marched 70 yards in only five plays to cut the deficit to 21-20 after misfiring on the conversion attempt. It was at that point the game began to get away from the Tigers.

Carthage answered the Silsbee score with a 72-yard march for a touchdown. Blissett tossed his fourth TD pass of the night to Bowens from 23 yards out. Rafael Hernandez, who was a perfect 8-for-8 on PATs, added the extra point to increase the Bulldogs' lead to 28-20 with 9:08 left in the third quarter.

It appeared the Tigers would bounce right back on their next possession, driving from their 14-yard line to the Carthage 37 before being turned away on fourth-and-3.

It didn't take the Dogs long to find the end zone again. On the first play from scrimmage, Blissett connected with Bowens on a 67-yard scoring strike and a 35-20 advantage with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter.

The two powers then swapped turnovers as the Tigers fumbled on first down and Mekhi Colbert recovered for Carthage at the Silsbee 29. However, a Blissett pass was picked off in the end zone of the first play by Tiger defensive back Bruce Newton, giving his team the ball at the 20. Twelve plays and 80 yards later Silsbee scored on a 10-yard run by Adonis Thomas. The conversion kick was no good, leaving Carthage with a 35-26 lead with 3:25 to play in the third period.

Carthage was forced to punt for the first time in the game on its next possession and Silsbee took over at the Bulldogs' 48. Yet, again, the defense stopped the Tigers on fourth-and-3 at the 41-yard line, returning the ball to the offense.

More electricity followed as Hardy picked up 1-yard on first down and Blissett then hit Jackson on a 60-yard touchdown pass – his sixth TD throw of the contest – and Carthage held a 42-26 advantage with :49 left in the quarter.

The Tigers turned a Carthage fumble into a touchdown early in the fourth period. Silsbee then recovered an onside kick at the Carthage 34-yard line. The Tigers drove to the Bulldogs' 13 and fumbled. McLin scooped up the ball and raced to the Silsbee 10. Four plays later Hardy scored on fourth down from the 1 and the matter was finally settled.

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I'm heartbroken this morning but I had to do one thing before I leave for awhile and that is to wish you Carthage Bulldogs good luck we didn't hold down our end so go win it all!

Was really looking forward to NOT having to play Argyle for a State Championship too! Good luck next year. This dance is addictive lol.

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Definitely need both Ingram AND Hardy healthy against this defense. Also hoping our defense can shore themselves up after the last two games. Impressive efforts in last night's game against Silsbee, but they looked to be running on grace and fumes by the time the buzzer sounded.

Defense has had a TOUGH last 2 games. No defense in the state has played 2 consecutive games like that. And I agree we need both backs. They really compliment each other. Hardy played great last night, I was glad to see that. He is a heck of a ball player. Blissett is slinging it right now, if we got both backs healthy plus our WR core Carthage is going to be tough to beat. Region 3 was a beast. Stafford, Sota, and Silsbee was 3 tough opponents.

 

Does anybody have any information about La Vega? Doubt we will get any posters of the team over here. Ohh btw, Carthage is fun to watch right now! If your a fan of HSFB I would suggest watching this team if you have the chance. They make some mistakes, but they are all heart.

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Waco La Vega Defense Dominates China Spring

source: http://www.texasredzonereport.com/2015/12/waco-la-vega-defense-dominates-china-spring/

 

The old cliché of defense winning championship held true. Waco La Vega collected four interceptions, two fumbles, and six sacks in downing China Spring 20-7 for Region IV Class 4A Division I title at Baylor’s McLane Stadium on Thursday night.

“Our defense stepped up,” La Vega head coach Willie Williams said. “We didn’t want to turn the ball over in the second half because our defense was playing so well. We backed off our spread, went to two-back, and just wanted to eat the clock up.”

The Pirates (14-0) limited the Cougars (12-2) to 227 offensive yards with only 27 gained on the ground. Four of La Vega’s six takeaways occurred inside the China Spring red zone. The Pirates will play the winner of Friday’s meeting between Carthage and Silsbee in the state semifinals.

Workmanlike and unflashy, La Vega’s offense stuck with ball control and frustrated China Spring’s defense by running the clock and collecting first down after first down. Ahead 14-0 at halftime, the Pirates opened the third quarter with an 11-play, 74-yard scoring drive which consumed over six minutes and contained just a single pass.

Kemoche Hobbs, who paced La Vega’s running attack with 96 yards on 14 carries, sprinted the final 28 yards for the score. But the missed extra point fueled China Spring’s resurgence.

The Cougars promptly marched 62 yards in eight plays aided by a personal foul penalty. Kameron Coe passed to Tyrik James from the 6, cutting La Vega’s lead to 20-7 with 4 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. Coe finished the game with 17 completions in 30 attempts for 200 yards.

On the Pirates next possession, quarterback Jamal Williams committed his only major mistake, an interception which Griffin Kenneaster grabbed at the La Vega 44. But China Spring failed to capitalize on its good fortune.

“It’s hard to sit there and watch them,” China Spring head coach Mark Bell said. “They just run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, and throw the ball. When you’re behind you’ve got to make something happen, and we didn’t make the plays tonight.”

The Cougars drove to the Pirates 19. But La Vega sacked Coe twice, and his pass on fourth-and-24 fell incomplete.

China Spring gained possession three more times, but each ended with an interception. Parrish Cobb picked off two of Coe’s throws, and Brandon Benson, who also intercepted in the first quarter, gathered in the last.

“We knew they had a big playbook,” Cobb said. “We just read our keys and executed. We’ve just been trying to get this moment, and now we’re here.”

Leading 7-0, La Vega took control of the contest in the second quarter when it appeared China Spring would tie the game. Keaton Dudik broke loose down the left sideline and saw a clear path to the end zone. But Benson flew across the field, stripped Dudik of the ball at the 5, and pounced on the loose pigskin at the 2.

Over the next three plays, the teams exchanged fumbles, and the Pirates wound up in possession with 4:47 left before halftime after Dudik’s second drop. Two plays later, Hobbs slipped out the backfield and caught a short pass that turned into a 51-yard gain.

From there, Williams went to Benson on the fade route and nailed the SMU commit for a 13-yard scoring pass with 1:12 remaining until the break. Williams, who connected on 11-of-12 passes in the first half for 133 yards, wound up 13-of-15 for 137 yards.

Benson’s first-quarter interception set up the Pirates’ initial score. La Vega took advantage of the turnover and journeyed 64 yards in 16 plays, consuming over six minutes of clock.

In the drive, Williams completed key passes for first downs on fourth-and-8 to Benson and third-and-10 to Cobb. Freshman John Richards capped the touchdown march by taking it across the goal line from 6.

“This was two great teams facing each other,” Benson said. “I’m so excited right now.”

Scoring summary

China Spring – 0-0-7-0 – 7

Waco La Vega – 0-14-6-0 – 20

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