Class 5 sixth-ranked Carthage used a late drive to break a tie and go on to beat Joplin 28-21 on Friday in COC West action.
The win gives Carthage a 5-1 record, while Joplin falls to 4-2.
The scoring in the first half was limited by both teams, as the defenses settled in early.
Carthage took the lead on the first drive of the game after QB Zane Browning punched it in from a yard out with 7:02 left in the first quarter.
After Joplin forced Carthage into a turnover inside the 10-yard line, the Eagles got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter when RB Traevian McCadney capped a long drive with a 4-yard rushing score at the 4:07 mark of the first half to tie the game at 7-7.
Carthage forced a stop out of the locker room and used a 48-yard punt return from WR Tate Nichols to get inside the 5-yard line of the Eagles.
The Tigers took advantage of the good field position when WR Brody Jackson carried the ball across the goal line from 4 yards deep on the jet sweep for a 14-7 lead with 9:07 to play in the third quarter.
Joplin tied the game back up at 14-14 late in the third quarter when McCadney scored from 2 yards out on fourth-and-goal with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Tigers didn’t take long to respond, using a 40-yard pass to WR Tate Nichols set up a 28-yard rushing score from RB Landon West for a 21-14 lead just three plays into the next drive.
Joplin tied the game up at 21-21 on an 18-yard passing score from QB Daniel Rose to WR Trenton McCadney near the nine-minute mark.
West put the Tigers in front for good when he scored on a third-and-1 direct snap from 9 yards out with 2:01 left in the game for a 28-21 advantage.
A late interception by the Eagles when driving near midfield sealed the road win for Carthage.