Carthage eliminates Brock, ends Eagles’ first Class 4A season in state semifinals
A week ago, Brock benefited from a fortunate bounce or two in a triple overtime win over Graham.
The Eagles weren’t so lucky on a rainy night when a turnover put them in a hole they never recovered against Carthage. The Bulldogs turned an early fumble into points and rolled to a 45-17 victory at McKinney ISD Stadium in a Class 4A Division II high school football semifinal game on Friday, Dec. 13.
The win sends the Bulldogs (14-1) to a state final for the 11th time in program history and the fourth time in the past six years. Carthage plays Waco La Vega at 11 a.m. in the finals on Dec. 20 in Arlington.
Brock ended the season with a 13-2 mark and came up short, seeking a third trip to the finals in four years. This marks the 11th year in a row the program had at least 11 wins.
Brock was trying to return to the finals for the third time in the past four years after falling in the semifinals last year to eventual Class 3A Division I champion Malakoff.
For the first time since 2012, Parker County will not be represented at the football finals between the success of Aledo and Brock.
“I don’t think the score shows how close the game really was,” Brock coach Billy Mathis said. “Our guys fought their tails off, and you know, Carthage is Carthage. They are big, and they are fast, and I thought our guys did a great job going toe to toe with them.
“I was so proud of the boys, the way they fought and the way they never laid down. They played their hearts out and that is all you can ask. You can live with yourself, and you can go to bed at night if you go out there and lay it all on the line.”
In the first matchup between postseason powers, Brock looked to have a chance to strike first in this contest. Junior defensive back Colt Matlock intercepted Carthage’s Jett Surratt on the game’s seventh play.
Matlock returned the ball to the Bulldogs’ 22-yard line.
There were shades of an early turnover that happened last week against Graham, which gave the Eagles an early lead in what was a 12-10 triple-overtime win.
Brock had a 1st-and-goal at the 9-yard line but a bad snap turned into a fumble that turned into an 80-yard touchdown return by Daquives Beck. Carthage never trailed the rest of the way after that score.
“What are the odds their fastest dude on defense picking up?” Mathis questioned.
On Carthage’s eighth offensive play, Matlock picked up off Surratt again and returned it to the 10-yard line. The Eagles got points but settled for a 27-yard field goal from Brayden Hamel.
The 7-3 deficit with 10 seconds left in the first quarter was as close as the Eagles would get.
Carthage scored four more times in the first half to take a 31-10 at the break. Surratt threw a pair of touchdowns and junior running back KJ Edwards, the No. 3-ranked running back in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, ran for a 31-yard score.
Brock pulled within 20-10 on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Brody Woods to Jesse Rusinek midway through the second quarter.
An interception return by Tylin Williams set up a 30-yard field goal by Carthage with 7 seconds left in the first half.
Woods had a 1-yard scoring run late in the third quarter to help the Eagle pull within 31-17. Woods connected with Rusinek for a 29-yard gain on the play before.
Brock went for a pooch kick, and it fell between two lines of Carthage players. Brock made the initial contact, but Carthage recovered it.
“I mean, gosh almighty, we had it, and it just flops out and goes right to them,” Mathis said.
Six plays later, Benny Smith ran in for a 29-yard touchdown to extend the Bulldogs’ lead. Smith added a 54-yard score in the fourth.
The Bulldogs excelled in do-or-die situations, going 5-for-8 on 4th-down attempts. However, Carthage was also 2-for-12 on third downs. Brock’s defense made stops but couldn’t get off the field.
“You know, it is a whole different ball game with all the little things that happened,” Mathis said.