Defense leads Senators over Spanish Springs

SPARKS - Carson High's defense isn't dominant and certainly isn't flashy. It just gets the job done.

An interception by Chris Steele - which was converted into a first-half touchdown - and a third quarter goal-line stand paved the way for the Senators to stay unbeaten with a 23-13 win over Spanish Springs Friday night in a Northern 4A game.

Carson, which played without star running back Dylan Sawyers for the second straight week, improved to 6-0 in league and 7-0 overall heading into its final two games of the regular season against Galena and Reno. Spanish Springs fell to 4-2.

"Two plays turned the game," Carson coach Blair Roman said. "The interception and that goal-line stand. Those were huge. The kids played very disciplined on defense. We did a good job of keeping things in front of us."

Trailing 7-0 with less than two minutes left in the half, Cougars' Tanner Oates tried to throw a pass in the flat, but it went directly to Steele, who intercepted the pass and returned 40 yards down to the Cougars' 20.

"The quarterback just rolled out and threw it, and I was in the way," said Steele, who has enjoyed two straight top-notch games for the Senators. "I think he was looking at somebody behind me."

Three plays later, Carson was in the end zone.

Connor Beattie (11 carries, 62 yards) carried down to the Cougars' 17, and Jensen got the first down at the 10. On the next play, Jensen's pass went off Carson's Jon Parker and right into the hands of teammate Tyler Collins for a touchdown to make it 13-0 with 17.1 seconds remaining.

"It was an option play. I was the third check down on that," Collins said. "Jon ran too far on his route. It was definitely intended for me. Jon deflected it, and it went right into my hands."

Jensen was 7-for-8 passing for 51 yards in the opening 24 minutes. Overall, he was 9-for-10 passing for 63 yards. He also gained 59 yards on the ground. He managed to run his record as a starter to 8-0, including last year's win against South Tahoe.

"The kid finds a way to win," Roman said. "We don't pass a lot, but we're very efficient at it."

The score gave the Senators some much-needed momentum going into the second half, and they didn't waste it.

Carson took the second-half kickoff and moved from its own 39 all the way down to the Cougars' 23 before the drive fizzled out. No problem because the Senators have a guy named Austin Pacheco, who has a strong leg. Pacheco booted a 40-yarder to increase the lead to 16-0 with 7:23 left in the third quarter.

The Senators converted two third-down plays to keep the drive alive. The first was a 3-yard run by Parker on a third-and-2 play down to the Spanish Springs 38.

Three plays later, Carson faced a third-and-5 from the 33, and once again converted on a 10-yard pass from Jensen to Beattie.

Spanish Springs took the ensuing kick-off and drove the ball down Carson's collective throat. In 13 plays, the Cougars drove from their own 38 to the Carson 1. On fourth down, Conrad Tanyi tried to go through the middle and was met by Beattie and Collins behind the line.

"The nose pinched the center and the guard went with him," Collins said. "We just ran through (the opening)."

Spanish Springs finally got on the board when Austin Rauh scored on a 40-yard run to cap an 80-yard drive and cut the lead to 16-6 early the fourth quarter.

Spanish Springs tried an onside kick, but it went out of bounds, and Carson had great field position at its own 48.

Beattie ripped off a 28-yard run to the Cougars' 24 on first down. Three plays later, facing a third-and-10 from the 24, Parker rumbled down to the 1 and scored on the next play. Pacheco's PAT made it 23-6.

Spanish Springs unleashed another big play on the next drive, as Sean Shamrock got past Brandon Akers and caught a 43-yard TD pass. The PAT pass was batted down to make it 23-13.

'We made a couple of mistakes in the first half, and that turned the game around," Spanish Springs coach Scott Hare said. "You can't make mistakes against a great team. Carson has earned the No. 1 ranking. They are the best team I've seen.

"We didn't make quite enough plays. We ran 23 plays in the first half and shot ourselves in the foot six times. You can't do that."