Photos by Brian McLean

MCKINNEY — Carthage took advantage of big plays on both sides of the ball to score 31 first-half points en route to a 45-17 win over Brock in a Class 4A Division II state semifinal game Friday night at McKinney ISD Stadium.

An 80-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Bulldog defensive back Daquives Beck started the onslaught midway though the first period. By the time the whistle sounded to end the game’s first 24 minutes, Carthage found the endzone three more times, on a 31-yard dash by speedy running back Kelwin Edwards, on a 10-yard strike from Jett Surratt to Cade Ross, and on a 26-yard flea-flicker pass from Surratt to a wide open Junior Henderson.

To put an exclamation point on the first half, Bulldogs’ kicker Leo Medrano nailed a 30-yard field as time ran out, and Carthage (14-1) was well on its way to a championship game with Waco La Vega, which disposed of Wimberly 62-35 in the other Class 4A DII semifinal. The teams will meet next week at AT&T Stadium in the state championship game, and if the Bulldogs prevail, it will mark a state-record 10th championship for coach Scott Surratt.

Brock finished its season with a 13-2 mark, but, despite the final score, the Eagles were still in the game heading to the fourth quarter after blanking the Bulldogs 7-0 in the period.