The Carthage Tigers are headed back to the state quarterfinals after beating Republic 31-14 in the Class 5 District 6 title game on Friday.
Republic took a 7-6 lead into halftime before Carthage scored on the opening possession of the second half and then recovered a muffed kick that resulted in a short-yardage touchdown three plays later to all of a sudden give CHS a 21-7 advantage. Carthage never relinquished the momentum en route to the win.
Carthage (9-1) will travel to take on Capital City next week in a 7 p.m. matchup.
Carthage got a stop on defense to open the game before the offense took possession and marched 73 yards in six plays that culminated in a score after QB Zane Browning hit TE Landon Bland on a wide-open play-action pass for a 4-yard touchdown and a 6-0 lead with 6:11 on the scoreboard.
The drive consisted of five rushing plays before the play-action score. RB Landon West highlighted the series with runs of 35 and 29 yards.
QB Preston McCracken ripped off a 41-yard run on the ensuing Republic drive only for RB Izaiah Hull to fumble the ball to Carthage into the end zone on the next play, recovered by Carthage for a touchback going the other way midway through the second quarter.
Despite the turnover, Republic kept its offensive momentum on the following drive, putting on a 12-play drive that ended with a 2-yard touchdown by FB Matthew Pelfrey with 2:35 to play in the first half. The score gave Republic a 7-6 lead heading into the intermission.
Carthage opened the second half with the ball and made the most of it, taking the lead back with an 11-yard touchdown run from RB Landon West to cap a seven-play drive. West completed a pass to Bland for the two-point conversion to give Carthage a 14-7 lead.
Carthage recovered the ensuing kickoff that was muffed by Republic and took possession with a short field, scoring a touchdown when West crossed the goal line from 4 yards out three plays later. The second quick touchdown gave Carthae a 21-7 lead with less than eight minutes to play in the third quarter.
Kicker Malachi Dougless knocked down a 23-yard field goal on the next possession to give Carthage a 24-7 lead with 1:48 left in the third.
Republic got back into the end zone when Pelfrey scored a short-yardage touchdown to trim the lead to 24-14 with less than seven minutes to play in the game.
Carthage put the game away late when West, who finished with 177 yards and three touchdowns in the win, scored for the final time from 6 yards out to make the score 31-14 with 33 seconds left.