Carthage JV defeats Gilmer JV

Carthage outscored the Buckeyes 30-12 as the two teams dueled to a near match on offensive yardage. Gilmer picked up 192 yards on the ground and 39 through the air, a total of 231 yards on 36 offensive snaps while Carthage used 31 snaps to gain 239 yards.
Despite the road loss, Gilmer displayed incredible grit after losing a key piece of their offense early on.
The Buckeyes’ offensive game plan faced a major hurdle when standalone playmaker Phoenix Ross went down with an injury in the second quarter. Ross had nine yards rushing and had completed two of four pass attemps for nine yards when he went down.
Despite the loss of Ross, the Gilmer backfield refused to quit.
Anchored by stellar upfront blocking from Landon Casey and Wyatt Gault, the Buckeyes aggressively pounded the rock for a total of 169 rushing yards. The trio of Caden Manson (53 yards), Brayden McDonald (57 yards), and Jayden Miller (38 yards) spearheaded the rushing attack, combining for 148 yards to pick up the slack. Ty O’Neal and Saybin Byrd also drew praise for leading the blocking execution downfield.
Miller found the end zone on a gritty 17-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Carthage went into halftime leading 16-6 after scoring two passing touchdowns in the first two quarters. The Dawgs followed each TD with a 2-point conversion.
McDonald showcased his versatility by throwing a 27-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Cunningham, who finished the night with 34 receiving yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes flying to the football kept the game within striking distance. Donny Brooks led the tackling charts with 4 solo stops, 3 assists, and a tackle for loss (TFL). Lincoln Dodd was equally disruptive, matching Brooks with 3 solo tackles, 3 assists, and a TFL of his own.
Brayden McDonald also made his presence felt on defense, coming up with a crucial interception to stymie a Carthage drive. Additional defensive resistance was provided by Brayden Granville, Ian Langford and Tristen Crocker, who all recorded multiple stops.
Carthage added two rushing touchdowns in the second half, one each quarter, and after each kicked an extra point.
The JV Buckeyes will look to shake off the loss and finish their season on a high note. They host their final game of the year on Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. against the Spring Hill Panthers at Jeff Traylor Stadium.