Unfortunately, Carson High's football season ended a week or two before people were hoping.
Despite the disappointing 34-14 loss to McQueen, it still was another solid year for the Senators, who won a school-record 10 games giving the program a 19-5 record the past two seasons.
It was a tough way to go out for talented seniors like Tyler Collins, Jon Parker, Connor Beattie, Trey Jensen, Danny Gall, Colby Blueberg, Matt Cooper, Caleb Jeffers, Chris Steele, Bryce Altus, Gabe Pongasi, Darian Goldman and Dalton Simpson.
The cupboard isn't bare, however. Skill position players like Dylan Sawyers, Austin Pacheco, Chance Quilling, Cole Dufresne and Brock Pradere are among the key returners. The offensive line takes the biggest hit as Jacob Myers and Logan Peternell are the only starters coming back. I expect there will be some fierce competition during the spring and summer for the three vacant spots on the line. It wouldn't surprise me if a couple of sophomores-to-be don't jump up to the big team and make their presence felt.
Parker, who is getting some Division I looks, said he will start visiting schools this next month. UNLV, New Mexico, Nevada and Abilene Christian have expressed the most interest.
• Steven Gall, older brother of current Carson football player Danny Gall, has been keeping busy since graduating from Carson High.
Gall attends Washington State University, and for two years, served as the team manager for the Cougars' baseball team. Gall attended practice each day and also made some road trips with the team.
The time constraints got to be too much, so Gall has turned his attention to other interests. He's currently co-hosting a sports talk show on campus. The campus doesn't have a radio station, but anybody with a computer can get the broadcast. Gall said he will eventually get an opportunity to do some play-by-play or color work from some of the WSU home athletic events.
This past summer, Gall worked for a team in a collegiate baseball league. He did some radio work there among his myriad of duties.
• With Carson football being eliminated. It means the Carson boys basketball coach Bruce Barnes will have all of the football players in uniform when the Capital Classic gets started on Dec. 2.
Barnes said that the football players will need to go through five practice before suiting up. Cooper, Jensen, Steele and Collins all played varsity basketball last season.
The local tournament will be Carson's first games of the year. Usually the tournament is held later in December, but because of the strange 4A schedule this year and the Senators' two other tournament commitments, the event was pushed up.
• The basketball season officially gets under way on Nov. 30 when Carson's girls team travels to Reno to face the perennial powerhouse Huskies in the 4A opener.