GILMER – The Gilmer Buckeyes beat No. 1 Carthage 49-42 on Friday night at Jeff Traylor Stadium. The game was tied at 42 in the final two minutes. Aiden Thomas scored on a 40-yard run with 48 seconds left to put Gilmer ahead. Gilmer then stopped Carthage on fourth down. The win ended the Bulldogs' 38-game winning streak.
Gilmer coach Alan Metzel said his team focused on the current week. "This was about this week," Metzel said. "It wasn't about streaks or what we did in '23 or any of that stuff." He praised Carthage coach Scott Surratt.
Thomas said he wrote "be you" on his taped wrist before the game and looked at it before his touchdown run.
Carthage's previous loss before Friday was on Aug. 30, 2024, against Kilgore. The Bulldogs' loss was their first district defeat since Oct. 7, 2016, ending a 55-game district winning streak. It was also Gilmer's first home win over Carthage since 2011.