PLYMOUTH — The Carthage College football team kicked off the 2025 season with a 51-40 win over Lakeland on Saturday night, marking its first season-opening victory since 2017. 

• Final Score: Carthage 51 - Lakeland 40
• Location: Plymouth, Wisconsin - Taylor Field
• Records: Carthage 1-0, Lakeland 0-1

• Lakeland jumped out to a 20-7 first-quarter lead behind two rushing scores and a 73-yard touchdown pass.
• Carthage responded in the second quarter with a 13-yard touchdown run from Bryce Frank and a safety from Michael Sneed, trimming the deficit to 20-16.
• Easton Heafner connected with Dylan Salisbury for a 4-yard touchdown late in the half, sending Carthage into the break trailing 26-23.
• The Firebirds took control in the third quarter as Frank broke free for a 68-yard touchdown, followed by Salisbury's second scoring grab and a 33-yard run from Mark Hunter to make it 44-26.
• Lakeland pulled within 44-34 early in the fourth quarter, but Heafner found Gavin Betts for an 8-yard touchdown to secure the win.

• Bryce Frank led the way for Carthage, rushing for 224 net yards, a career-best. 
• The 224 net yards is the most yards rushed by an individual since November 20, 2004. 
• As an offense, the Firebirds had 48 rushing attempts and had 324 total rushing yards. 
• On defense, Briton Stanton and Mariano Talamantez each had 10 total tackles in the contest. Followed closely by Idarius Walton with nine and Adam Contreras with eight. 

"We did a great job as a team responding to being down and finding a way to get a win on the road," commented head coach Matt Popino. "The players and coaches showed a ton of resilience, and I'm really proud of all of them."

• The Firebirds begin conference play against North Central (Ill.) on Saturday, September 20, at 1 p.m. in Naperville.