Carthage Team Preview & Players to Know

The Carthage Tigers won a conference title for the time third time in the past 30-plus years last fall. However, that success the season ended on a bad note with a loss to rival Webb City in the district championship game last year. The Tigers are reloading this year with hopes to return to the postseason after what is hopefully only a one-year hiatus. Carthage entered last year as the defending Class 5 champions but then Class 4 champion Webb City were bumped into its district. MSHSAA will not release district and classifications until the opening day of football – Aug. 27 – but it is likely the two rivals will be together again. The Tigers went 9-1 last year and 8-0 in the COC – one game short due to a COVID-19 issue that called off a regular-season game against Webb City. The conference title was the first since 2016 and the third counting the 1989 one in the old-Southwest Conference. He opens this year with some starters back – 11 – but also lost 11 starters. Some of the names lost played big roles for the Tigers in recent years, perhaps none bigger than <span class="il">Patrick</span> <span class="il">Carlton</span>, who scored the game-winning touchdown against Jackson to win the state title and fame for the rest of his life in town. The quarterback is going to East Coast Prep with hopes of going to a four-year college after this upcoming season. The offense lost offensive lineman Ian Ketchum (Wartburg) and [player_tooltip player_id="37233" first="Aiden" last="Logan"] (Butler County Community College), as well as wide receiver Silas Templeman (Mid-America Nazarene). Defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="37409" first="DJ" last="Witt"] also landed at Wartburg with Ketchum. Carthage hired a former Division II head coach Dave Wiemers, who once guided Emporia State and most recently coached at Division II Pittsburg State as a coordinator. It will be interesting to see what he can do with the offense given his pedigree. The defense returns seven full-time starters, including all three linebackers: [player_tooltip player_id="101700" first="Luke" last="Gall"], Sylas Browning and Zach Lansford. Here is a quick look at some of the Carthage players to watch this fall… <strong>Class of 2022</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172431" first="Garrett" last="Lilienkamp"], 6-2, 265, OL</strong> A three-year starter he is the stalwart on the line for the Tigers’ offense that scored 39 points per game, which included 113 passing yards and 299 rushing yards on the ground. He is one of three starters left from the 2019 championship team. "He is a hard worker in the weight room and is getting some college attention due to his size and athleticism." He currently holds offer from NAIA schools Evangel, William Penn and Benedictine, while attending a camp at FCS Central Arkansas this summer. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190981" first="Caden" last="Kabance"], 6-0, 180, DB/QB</strong> A three-year starter on defense, his main role this year will be the quarterback job and taking over for Carlton. He has adapted well with the move from wide receiver to quarterback and Guidie credits his ’smarts’ and how ’coachable’ he is in the new role. It helps his dad, Jeff, was a longtime high school football coach before moving into administration in the area. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190986" first="Gavin" last="VanGilder"], 6-2, 255, C</strong> The other returning starter on the line for the Tigers, he will play a big role in the transition at quarterback too for Carthage. "He does a great job of communicating up front for us, I look for him to have a great senior season," Guidie said. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190987" first="Cale" last="Patrick"], 5-10, 160, WR</strong> Will take on a bigger role in the offense this year and has been putting in work in the offseason. He was invited to the Hawaii Tiki Bowl that will be played in December. Attended team camps at Division II Missouri S&amp;T and NAIA Benedictine this summer. Patrick was also a key member of the track and field team’s 4x100- and 4x200-meter relays. <strong>Class of 2023</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="101700" first="Luke" last="Gall"], 5-11, 195, RB/LB</strong> Gall ran for 1,051 yards and 15 touchdowns, while adding another 111 yards and a touchdown in catching out of the backfield. The junior averaged 6.6 yards per carry in his varsity debut and earned first all-conference honors. On defense, he was a second-team all-state selection after having 76 tackles. "He may be the best two-way starter in our conference," Guidie said. He is already squatting 500 pounds, one of the best in the weight room. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="190989" first="Micah" last="Lindsey"], 6-0, 240, DT</strong> Earned all-conference and all-district accolades thanks to having eight sacks and 13 tackles for loss last fall. One of three returning players on the defensive front, along with senior <strong>Max Williams</strong> and junior <strong>Tyler Willis</strong>. He’s also a talented baseball player too, having the fastest exit velocity of any hitter for the Tigers last offseason. &nbsp;