Carter defeats Kimball 13-12 on game’s final play

by Shawn Williams of Dallas South

Dude, where's my game?

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OAK CLIFF — I’m not sure how much more Kimball can do to get a win in the Oak Cliff Super Bowl. Last season the Knights rallied from 22-0 down and scored 20 unanswered points against Carter before a last second pass reception came up short. This year Kimball took heartbreak to another level.

It was Kimball who scored first this year on a 2-yard run by QB Tayshaun Gipson. The touchdown came after Carter was flagged for roughing the kicker on a Kimball field goal attempt.

I’ll take a moment here to mention a fact that is important for Carter games that I cover this year. I played for Carter Coach Allen Wilson at Paris High School in 1990. Coach Wilson had won a state title two years earlier and the ‘90 season was his last at Paris before leaving for John Tyler. So I’m biased.

With that said, Coach Wilson took the same 3 running plays and 2 pass plays that won him two state titles to Carter. Cowboy fans are growing tired of the Wilson’s methodical approach in the era of spread offenses, but it’s hard to argue with the results. The results were pretty futile for Carter in the first half.

The Cowboys began to show their trademark smashmouth defense as the first half wore on, but it was Kimball who took a 6-0 lead into halftime. There was an uneasy feeling on the Kimball side of Kincaide Stadium. It didn’t seem like fans of the Knights were willing to believe.

Carter came out in the second half running a familiar mix of 4 & 7 cutback, scat right and left. After 8 plays and 70 yards Carter went up 7-6 on a 9-yard Antony Miller TD run and extra point. But Kimball wasn’t going out without a fight.

Kimball withstood some stiff Carter defense through the remainder of the 3rd and early 4th quarter before getting something going near the end of the game. After a nice drive that featured three completions, Gipson put the Knights ahead on with a 14-yard touchdown scramble with 2:02 remaining in the game. The Kimball faithful seemed to celebrate cautiously, knowing that disappointment was right around the corner.

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After returning the kickoff to their own 49 yard-line, Carter received a gift when Kimball was flagged 15 yards for pulling QB Jarvis Phillips’ helmet off. Later in the drive Carter converted 2nd & 1 on the nine with less than :30 left and eventually found themselves 10 yards away on the final snap of the game.

In typical Oak Cliff Super Bowl fashion, the last play was for all the marbles, and Phillips took the game into his own hands. He dropped back and rolled out, but he probably planned to try a run at the end zone from the start. Phillips raced for the pylon as he was chased by two Kimball defenders, but he wouldn’t be denied. Phillips jumped at the marker and caught just enough for the touchdown and a 13-12 Carter win.

As Carter fans celebrated, Kimball faithful filed out shaking their heads but applauding the efforts of their team. “What else can you do?” one fan asked. Kimball can try it again next year, but I expect it will be for a district title after Carter moves down to 4A.