Fast-scoring Republic can’t slow even faster Carthage in road loss

Two of the Central Ozark Conference’s best offenses battled in Carthage Friday, and Carthage’s offense turned out to be a little bit better. In a game that showcased more than 900 yards of total offense, Carthage accounted for 560 of those yards in a 54-34 win.
Both teams scored on their first two drives. Carthage went 67 yards in four plays before Republic answered with a 12-play drive that also covered 67 yards. Riley Sigman plunged in from one yard out, and after Carthage had missed its extra point, Republic made its point-after to take a 7-6 lead. Carthage scored again two minutes later to go up 13-7, but Republic put together another long scoring drive. That one covered 65 yards and lasted 10 plays. It ended with a 16-yard pass from Lucas Hayes to Sigman to make it 14-13 Republic.
A key moment in the game came on the next Republic drive, when the Tigers faced a 4th-and-1 in their own territory and lined up to try for the first down. A false start backed the ball up five yards and forced Republic to punt. Carthage scored on its next possession, giving Carthage
a two-possession lead. Republic’s offense never had a chance to take the lead again all night.
Both Sigman and Josh Sterling had their best games of the year. Sigman ran the ball 24 times for 164 yards and three touch- downs. He also caught three passes for 38 yards and another touchdown. Sterling had a career-high 10 catches for 98 receiving yards, and he had seven rushing yards, to put him over 100 yards for the night.
Lucas Hayes completed 19 of 26 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Gavin Walker caught five passes for 44 yards and a touch- down, and Skyler Lock had a reception.
“Offensively, you’ve got to give the line a lot of credit. I thought it might have been our best game from a block- ing standpoint, and we did a lot of good things,” said Baldwin. “Skyler Lock came in and started at receiver and blocked his rear end off. I’m super proud of that kid. He’s been working all summer and fall, just play- ing special teams and kind of sticking with it. He was doing so many things right in practice, I [said], ‘Let’s
just start him.’ He had to block a 220-pound all-state type linebacker several times and did it. He did an awesome job.”
Republic hosts Neosho
Friday on Senior Night for the Tigers.