A rebuilding team can’t go on the road against a state-ranked opponent and turn the ball over four times and hope to come out with a season-opening victory.
That’s exactly what happened to the Waynesville Tigers Friday, Aug. 29 in Carthage.
Despite a strong offensive showing to start the game, the Tigers were plagued by three lost fumbles, an interception and a long punt return TD, as Carthage High School posted a 50-8 opening win in a battle of Central Ozarks Conference Tigers.
Carthage, ranked No. 5 in this week’s Class 5 state poll, set the tone on the game’s opening play. Kicking off to Waynesville, Carthage lined up and booted an on-side kick, recovering it at the WHS 49 yardline. After three running plays, senior quarterback Zane Browning hit senior Landon Bland with a 30 yard touchdown pass.
That would be the lone score in the first period, as Waynesville dominated the time of possession the rest of the period.
The Waynesville opening offensive drive of the game was its best, covering 64 yards over more than six minutes. Waynesville converted four first downs and completed three passes for 42 yards during the drive. However, it stalled at the Carthage 16 yardline, as on third down WHS threw back-to-back incompletions, turning the ball back over.
Carthage quickly drove 84 yards on eight plays to score again - all on rushing attempts. A 22-yard run by junior running back Jett Dalton got the ball to the WHS two. From there Browning ran in for the TD. Junior Malachi Dougless added one of his six extra-points on the first play of the second quarter.
Waynesville’s second possession featured a 29-yard pass from senior quarterback Aden Maust to junior running back Kaden Wilson, getting inside Carthage territory. But again the drill stalled and WHS was forced to punt. Carthage’s junior Tate Nichols grabbed the punt and took it the distance, sprinting 76 yards for the TD with 10:39 left in the half.
After a 22-yard kickoff return, Waynesville again moved into midfield on a 17-yard pass from Maust to senior wideout Leland Wright. On the play Wright, on the Carthage sidelines, fumbled the ball and Carthage recovered at its own 45 yardline.
Browning hit Nichols with a 37-yard pass on the following play to get to the WHS eight. Two plays later Browning scored on a three-yard run. On a fake extra-point, Browning hit senior Landon Bland in the endzone for the two-point conversion.
Another Waynesville turnover led to another Carthage score. A fumbled WHS handoff was recovered by Carthage at the Waynesville 33 yardline. Five rushing plays later senior running back Noah Norbury punched it over for the touchdown with 21 seconds left in the half.
It was 43-0 at intermission.
The turbo clock ran throughout the second half. After Carthage made an interception, the host Tigers scored on a 30-yard, five-play drive, capped by a seven-yard TD run by senior Lenny Escobar, making it 50-0 in the third period.
Waynesville scored the game’s last touchdown in the final 30 seconds of the third period. After a halfback pass from junior MJ Greene to sophomore quarterback Ryder Wells for 33 yards, WHS would score four plays later on an 11-yard run by Wilson. Wells hit Wright in the endzone for the two-point conversion pass.
“When you play a team as disciplined and sound as Carthage, you have got to play disciplined too,” said Waynesville head coach Dalton Hill. “I thought we came out the first drive and responded from them scoring. We just didn’t capitalize when we needed to. Carthage is very solid in all three phases of the game. We’ve just got to get better.”
A run-heavy option attack for years, Waynesville came out passing Friday, hitting 11-of-18 passes for 153 yards, with Maust completing nine passes for 107 yards. Greene caught four passes for 27 yards. WHS rushed for just 39 yards on 19 attempts.
Browning hit on 6-of-7 passes for 108 yards and a TD and ran for 52 yards and two TDs. Dalton rushed for 74 yards.
Carthage had 354 yards of total offense.
Waynesville opens the home portion of its schedule against COC foe Republic Friday, Sept. 5. Kickoff at WHS Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
Last week Republic gave the state’s top-ranked Class 6 team, Nixa, a decent game, falling 49-21. Republic is ranked No. 6 in this week’s Class 5 state poll.
Last season Republic defeated Waynesville 35-9 on its way to a 10-3 record.
“They’re a very good program,” Hill said of Republic. “They play hard-nosed football. There is no hiding what they do offensively and defensively.”
The box score:
Aug. 29 at Carthage
Carthage 50, Waynesville 8
Team Statistics
First Downs: WHS 11, CHS 19
Yards Rushing: WHS 39, CHS 238
Yards Passing: WHS 153, CHS 116
Total Yards: WHS 192, CHS 354
Passing: WHS 11-18, CHS 7-9
Int. Thrown: WHS 1, CHS 0
Fumbles Lost: WHS 3, CHS 0
Penalties: WHS 5-40, CHS 2-10
Punting: WHS 2-35.5, CHS 1-32.0
The score by periods:
Waynesville 0 0 8 0- 8
Carthage 7 36 7 0-50
The scoring plays:
Carthage: Bland 30-yard pass from Browning, Dougless kick (9:59).
Carthage: Browning two-yard run, Dougless kick (11:57).
Carthage: Nichols 76-yard punt return, Dougless kick (10:39).
Carthage: Browning three-yard run, Browning passes to Bland for conversion (6:39).
Carthage: Norbury 10-yard run, Dougless kick (4:02).
Carthage: Dalton one-yard run, Dougless kick (:21).
Carthage: Escobar seven-yard run, Dougless kick (4:20).
Waynesville: Wilson 11-yard run, Wells passes to Wright for conversion (:29).
Individual Statistics
Rushing - Waynesville: Wilson 9 for 29, Maust 3 for 3, Greene 3 for 3, Byrd 3 for minus-1, Wells 1 for 5. Carthage: Norbury 3 for 21, Lopez 1 for 0, Browning 8 for 52, Dalton 8 for 74, Dougless 1 for 6, Jackson 1 for 5, Nichols 1 for 2, Brunnert 1 for 1, Mettlach 1 for 1, Escobar 4 for 25, Cameron 5 for 27, Collins 8 for 24.
Passing - Waynesville: Maust 9-14-107-1, Greene 1-2-33-0, Wells 1-2-13-0. Carthage: Browning 6-7-108-0, Cameron 1-2-8-0.
Receiving - Waynesville: Greene 4 for 27, Baker 2 for 16, Wright 2 for43, Wilson 1 for 29, Hance 1 for 5, Wells 1 for 33. Carthage: Bland 2 for 37, Nichols 1 for 37, Lawson 1 for 4, Norbury 1 for 16, Dougless 1 for 14, Reynolds 1 for 8.
