There’s nothing quite like Homecoming Friday in Carmi. Maroon and white as far as the eye can see, the homecoming parade around town, and of course the Bulldog football team playing at the friendly confines of Harrington-Jeffries Sports Complex. 4-1 Carmi-White County hosted 0-5 Christopher-Zeigler Royalton in the 2024 edition of Homecoming on Friday Night, and it was one for the history books.
The game did not begin like most thought it would, as the Bearcats marched right down the field for an opening drive touchdown on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Landen Sveda to Guage Schlake. 7-0 CZR with 7:39 to go in the 1st. Sveda proved early on why he is the conference leader in passing yards, despite CZR’s winless season to this point. Making throws in the pocket and on the run, he gave the Bulldog defense fits all night.
While the Bulldog defense struggled, the offense barely broke a sweat. On the first offensive snap, Noah Pollard took the handoff and took it 62 yards to the endzone. Kade Stockton ran in the 2-pointer and the Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-7 lead.
The Bulldog defense then forced a three-and-out, and it appeared as if the Bulldogs had shaken off the Homecoming Game jitters and were on their way to a comfortable victory. A long run by Kale Wiggins set the Bulldogs up 1st & Goal at the 6 yard line, and Stockton ran it in on the next play to extend Carmi’s lead to 16-7 with 5:23 to go in the 1st quarter.
The Bearcats however didn’t flinch, they found the endzone just 20 seconds later on another touchdown from Sveda to Schlake, this time a 65-yard catch and run, and CZR got it within 2 at 16-14.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Bulldogs failed to field the ball cleanly and the Bearcats recovered, which led to another touchdown pass for Sveda, this time to Tripp Fletcher on a 27-yard screen pass. CZR found themselves in front once again, 21-16 with 2:45 to go in the 1st quarter.
That would be the final time they held the lead.
Just 90 seconds later Carmi found the endzone, as once again Stockton scored from 27 yards out. Pollard’s two-point conversion made it 24-21 Carmi at the end of the 1st quarter.
The Bulldogs scored two more times in the 2nd quarter, both scores came from Noah Pollard from 38 yards and 3 yards out. CWC led 40-21 at halftime.
CZR came out in the 3rd quarter still looking to fight, they once again recovered an onside kick and drove down to score on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Sveda to Landon Butler, the Bearcats showed sign of life, cutting the Bulldog lead to 40-27, but that would be the final time CZR scored.
The Bulldogs ended the game on a 32-0 run, thanks to a 59-yard touchdown run by Pollard, a 69-yard touchdown run by Kale Wiggins, a 20-yard touchdown run by Pollard, and a 52-yard touchdown run by Cooper Hill to put the finishing touches on a 72-27 win for Carmi-White County.
72 points scored by the Bulldogs is tied for the 3rd-most in a single game in school history. CWC also scored 72 points at Red Hill in 1981, they defeated Cairo 73-0 in 2004, and they defeated Flora 87-0 in 1921.
The 99 combined points from the Bulldogs and Bearcats breaks a CWCHS record for the most combined points in a single game. The previous record was 94, when Olney shutout the Bulldogs 94-0 in 1915 (yikes).
The Bulldogs combined for 503 rushing yards. That is just 2 yards shy of the all-time record for most rushing yards in a single game in CWCHS history. The Bulldogs rushed for 505 against Red Hill in 1982.
Noah Pollard is the 12th Bulldog to ever score 5 touchdowns in a game, and the 8th to ever score 5 rushing touchdowns in a game, but he is the FIRST to ever score 5 touchdowns in a game TWICE. He scored five touchdowns (4 rush, 1 KO return) at Hamilton County in Week 2 of this season.
The win improves the Bulldogs’ record to 5-1, as they have now become playoff eligible. One more win for CWC will clinch a playoff berth for the 19th time under head coach Kurt Simon.
Speaking of Coach Simon, Friday night marked his final homecoming game. Numerous former players returned to Carmi on Friday to surprise Simon before the game. After the win, Bulldogs past and present gathered at midfield for a prayer and to “count them up,” one of the many traditions Kurt Simon has created at CWCHS.
The Bulldogs will travel to Edwards County this Friday to face the 1-5 Lions.
Stats and records courtesy of Toby Brown & crew:
RUSHING
(CWC) Noah Pollard – 14 rush, 258 yards, 5 TD
(CWC) Kale Wiggins – 4 rush, 127 yards, TD
(CZR) Tripp Fletcher – 23 rush. 79 yards
(CWC) Kade Stockton – 7 rush, 65 yards, 2 TD
(CWC) Cooper Hill – 1 rush, 52 yards, TD
(CZR) Landon Sveda – 8 rush, 12 yards
(CZR) Jackson Gaddis – 4 rush, 12 yards
(CWC) Madden Anderson – 1 rush, 1 yard
PASSING
(CZR) Landon Sveda – 18 / 31, 279 yards, 1 INT, 4 TD
(CWC) Madden Anderson – 0 / 0, 0 INT, 0 TD
RECEIVING
(CZR) Landen Butler 7 rec, 113 yards, TD
(CZR) Gauge Schlake – 3 rec, 102 yards, 2 TD
(CZR) Tripp Fletcher – 2 rec, 37 yards, TD
(CZR) Kaden Anderson – 3 rec, 10 yards
(CZR) Larry Salatas – 2 yards, 13 yards
(CZR) Johnny Gaddis – 1 rec, 4 yards
TOTAL OFFENSE
CWC – 503 yards
CZR – 382 yards
FIRST DOWNS
CWC – 16 (16 rush, 0 pass, 0 penalty)
CZR – 18 (9 rush, 9 pass, 0 penalty)
PENALTIES
CWC – 6-55
CZR – 6-60
TIME OF POSSESSION
CWC – 11:24
CZR – 36:36
THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS
CWC – 3 / 3
CZR – 5 / 13
FOURTH DOWN CONVERSIONS
CWC – 0 / 0
CZR – 3 / 5
TACKLES
Jazz Duckworth – 8 total, 3 TFL
Kale Wiggins – 6 total, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Cade Allen – 6 total, 2 TFL
Kade Stockton – 6 total, 2 TFL
Stone McGhee – 6 total
Noah Pollard – 5 total
Javan Agan – 5 total, 1 TFL, 1 sack
Madden Anderson – 5 total
Nolan Aud – 2 total
Laeden Vargas – 2 total
Cooper Hill – 1 total
Dakota Brown – 1 total
Kyzen Edwards – 1 total
Eli Bryant – 1 total
Cole Evans – 1 total
Ian Goemaat – 1 total
Easton Sullivan – 1 total
Branson Burnett – 1 total
Connor Benham – 1 total
