Pleasant Grove
TEAMS: Pleasant Grove (4-1) at Carthage (4-0)
KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m., Bulldog Stadium
LAST WEEK:
Pleasant Grove rolled past Tyler Chapel Hill, 49-0, while Carthage was on a bye week.
LAST YEAR: The teams did not meet.
GAME FACTS:
Pleasant Grove is the defending Class 4A, Division II state champion
and is coming off a 49-0 shutout win over Tyler Chapel Hill. Carthage is the defending Class 4A, Division I state champion and had a bye last week. Each team went 16-0 a season ago. Carthage has won a state-best 30 consecutive games with its last loss on Oct. 7, 2016, to Kilgore. The Hawks are averaging 39.6 points and 437.2 yards of offense per game. Pleasant Grove has given up an average of 22.6 points per contest. The Bulldogs average 51 points per game and 383.3 yards while giving up 23.5 points.
COACH JOSH GIBSON’S
COMMENTS: “I think Carthage is the best program in the state of Texas from 1A to 6A. They won state last year, and they have won six of the last 10 state championships. They have more state championships than playoff losses. They are extremely well coached and are as good as anyone that we have seen or had to prepare for. They have great players who get after it.
“The team that makes the fewer mistakes and doesn’t have turnovers or busted coverage will have a big advantage. Our goal is to play an extremely clean football game. I told the guys that we are the game of the week in the state of Texas. There is a big buzz about this matchup, not only because of their great program, but because of the level of ours. It will be a memorable game, and we’ll only get one opportunity at it.”
RADIO: KTRG, 94.1 FM, 7:15 p.m.