The Carson Senator Junior Midget youth football team opened the first round of the playoffs with a convincing win over the Truckee Wolverines 29-0.
The Senators used a balanced offense, rushing for 126 yards and passing for 149 yards. The Senators' first score would come on a pass play from Chance Quilling to Gabriel Pongasi for a 47 yard touchdown. Austin Pacheco kicked the PAT to put Carson up 8-0.
Carson would score again in the second quarter on a dive play that Pacheco would break loose for 37 yards to paydirt.
"Our line consisting of Keegan Aiazzi, Levi Carter, Alex Crathers, Nick Garcia, Rafe King, Jacob Myers and Logan Peternell did a great job of blocking for Crathers, Patrick Hesse, Quilling, Joe Zinda and me," Pacheco said.
Carson would expand its lead in the third quarter with Pacheco taking the pitch from Quilling and picking up key blocks from Crathers and Pongasi, to rumble 54 yards and score Carson's third touchdown. Pacheco would kick the extra point putting the Senators up 22-0.
The Senators would put up one more score in the fourth quarter on a 97 yard pass play from Quilling to Dylan Sawyers. Sawyers caught the ball on the 3 yard line, juked two defenders and turned on the track speed galloping for Carson's fourth and final score. Craugh would run in the PAT and put the Senators up 29-0.
Carson's defense comprised of Craugh, Devon Harrill, Patrick Hesse, King, Myers, Carter Nuckles, Pacheco, Peternell, Pongasi, Sawyers, Jimmy TenEyck, Zack White and Zinda kept Truckee at bay all game long. Pongasi had two fumble recoveries and Sawyers would also recover a fumble, Myers would have 2 tackles for loss, and Craugh, Peternell and TenEyck each would have tackles for losses.
"I am proud of the way our defense played tonight," defensive line coach Junior Lopez said. "This was our fifth shutout of the season and the 21st in past two and a half years."
"Overall we did okay, but we'll have to pick up our game to beat the Steelers," offensive line coach Mike Pacheco said. "We'll have to play our 'A' game to beat the Steelers."
The Steelers are the only team to beat the Senators in Nevada in the past three years. The Senators will get a chance to avenge that double overtime loss to the Steelers on Friday at Governors field.
The time has not yet been determined. The winner of this game will advance to the Northern Nevada Championship Snow Bowl.