Gilmer ends Carthage’s 38-game streak and earns every bit of the fuss

Gilmer scored 49 points on Carthage, stopped the Bulldogs on their last four chances and sent a 38-game winning streak into the history book. The Buckeyes’ 49–42 victory Friday at Jeff Traylor Stadium was earned the hard way, against a program that generally makes the other fellow explain himself.

Aiden Thomas broke the 42–42 tie with a 40-yard touchdown run and 48 seconds left. Carthage promptly returned the kickoff to the Gilmer 25. That left plenty of room for trouble and four downs to find it. Gilmer forced four incompletions.

Kipton Neighbors ran for four touchdowns. Against Carthage, that kind of offensive production carries some weight. The Bulldogs kept answering, and the Buckeyes kept finding another score.

Carthage will still be a serious November problem. Gilmer has now demonstrated that it can solve that problem itself. Any playoff assessment of Class 4A Division II ought to leave a proper-sized space for the team that just put 49 on the favorite.

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