A 26-yard field goal on the final play of the game gave Carthage a 30–28 win over Republic in a battle of state-ranked teams that flipped completely after the first quarter.
The game-winning field goal came after a frantic final quarter which saw Republic retake the lead after blowing a 21-point cushion, then saw Carthage drive for the potential tying score — only to be stopped on a two-point conversion attempt. That left Republic with a 28-27 lead with 2:17 remaining.
Republic needed a first down to put the game away but couldn’t get it, and instead punted. Carthage overcame a 2nd and 15 early in the drive, then benefited from a call that appeared to take away an interception by Keiran Govan, who outjumped the Carthage receiver and came down with the ball. Instead, the play was ruled a Carthage reception, and a resulting unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put Carthage in field goal range.
With 13 seconds left and no time outs left, Carthage quarterback Zane Browning ran the ball toward the middle of the field and was tackled. The Carthage offense managed to gather up after the tackle and snap the ball with one second left on the clock, and Browning spiked the ball, setting up the winning field goal.
“We had chances to put it away. I know (with the) officials, it was rough there, but we had our chances to do it ourselves, and we didn’t do it,” Cornelsen said. “We can’t point fingers—we just have to find ways to either get a stop or get the first down, and the game’s over, and we just didn’t do it.”
Republic had jumped to a 21–0 lead in the first half, scoring three touchdowns on its first four drives. Preston McCracken ran for touchdowns of 69, 34, and six yards on the way to a 233-yard night. The Carthage defense stopped Republic on 4th-and-goal from the one yard line on another drive to keep things close.
Carthage began its comeback late in the second quarter when quarterback Browning scored from a yard out. A long kickoff return to start the third quarter set up a second touchdown by Browning, and Landon West added another touchdown run to tie the score, 21-21.
But Republic re-took the momentum on its next drive, answering with a 74-yard drive capped by McCracken’s fourth touchdown, a five-yard run that put the Tigers ahead 28–21 with a little over six minutes left.
Carthage responded by driving 65 yards on nine plays, scoring on a run by Browning to cut the lead to one. They initially lined up to kick the extra point, but after Republic jumped offside, Carthage elected to try a two-point conversion from the one-yard line. Republic’s defense stopped them to preserve a one-point lead, 28-27, but the offense couldn’t run out the clock.
Carthage finished with 442 total yards—236 on the ground and 206 through the air. Republic finished with 303 rushing yards and -9 passing yards, when accounting for sacks. Republic completed just one pass.
Izaiah Hull rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries. The rest of the Republic backfield combined for only three yards.
Republic (6–2) will host Neosho next week. Carthage plays Webb City.
