ARLINGTON - Kai Horton and Kelvontay Dixon hooked up for three touchdowns scores to boost Carthage to its seventh state championship with a 42-28 win over Waco La Vega in the 4A Division I State Championship.
Things started well for La Vega, forcing a fumble on Carthage's opening drive and later scoring the game's first points on a Elisha Cummings touchdown run.
From that score, the teams traded touchdowns to a 14-14 tie with 4:46 left in half. La Vega (14-2) turned the ball over on downs with 2 minutes left in the half and Carthage (16-0) executed a flawless 2-minute drill to take a 21-14 lead at the half. It would be the start of 21 straight points scored by Carthage, breaking open what was once a close game.
Dixon, who ended up a the game's offensive MVP, had a stellar performance with 7 catches for 120 yards, including a 63-yarder in the middle of the 21-point run for Carthage. Horton was solid as well for Carthage, passing for 231 yards and three scores on 16-of-22 attempts. Mason Courtney also came up big for Carthage with 232 yards on 30 carries for three scores.
The game was won, though, in the third quarter for Carthage, which outgained La Vega 177-95 with a good mix of the running and passing game.
