MOODY COLUMN: Sawyers' health key for Carson success

Carson, by the skin of its teeth, stayed undefeated with a 16-13 overtime win over archrival Douglas Friday night in Minden.

The big concern for Carson fans these days is the health of star running back Dylan Sawyers, who has been bothered for two weeks by a hip flexor. Sawyers, who was held in check for nearly two quarters, broke off a 62-yard run on the second-to-last snap of the first half. He was pulled down inside the 10, and he re-aggravated his injury. He did return late in the fourth quarter and also was on the field for the overtime.

Sawyers needs a rest, and it would behoove the Senators to rest him against Damonte Ranch this Friday. The Senators should be able to beat the Mustangs without Sawyers, thought it might be a close game. They need him more for the game against Spanish Springs in two weeks. On paper, that's the toughest game for Carson down the stretch.

Speaking of that 62-yard run by Sawyers, it may have been a touchdown. Current Dayton JV coach Brady Ovard, a Douglas High grad, said that Sawyers stretched the ball across the goalline, but the official on the Douglas sidelines wasn't in position to see it.

And, while we're on the subject of the Douglas-Carson game, I admit that I was a little surprised by Douglas' decision to throw a pass on first down from the 10 in the overtime, especially after the Tigers had been gashing Carson's defense with Connor Peterson and Ryan Ake the entire second half.

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In case you haven't noticed, it's been a huge fall for Carson High's sports teams.

The boys and girls tennis teams have both made the NIAA team playoffs, which start Tuesday in Truckee. The football team is undefeated through five games, the cross country squad has performed very well, the girls golf team has won five straight Sierra League tournaments, the boys soccer team is in second place, the girls soccer team is in first and the volleyball team is battling for a spot in the playoffs.

I say congrats to all and keep up the good work.

For fans who have not checked the NIAA web site recently, the North football champion will host a Vegas team in the state football semifinals on Nov. 27 at 1 p.m. The finals are scheduled for Dec. 4 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

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I noticed that Dayton's cheerleaders were absent from Saturday's away football game at Wooster.

When I talked to a teacher friend of mine from Dayton she told me that the cheerleaders are not allowed to travel to away games. She said she was told by the cheerleader coach at Dayton, that it was a decision made by the Lyon County School District.

That forces me to ask what they're drinking in the district office these days? I'm not a cheerleader fan by any means, but I do understand that the girls do work hard and they deserve to attend all the games, except maybe the ones that require overnight stays.

If I'm the parent of a cheerleader, I'm making some noise about this. Heck, the next thing you're going to tell me is that fans aren't permitted to attend games.