Joey Thurman and the Carson Senators play Reed on Friday for a regional title.
Carson and Reed collide in the NIAA Division I regional final Friday night at 7 p.m. at Damonte Ranch High School coming off impressive wins.
Carson knocked off Damonte Ranch 27-10, its second win of the year over the Mustangs. Reed topped Galena 53-44 in a wild come-from-behind game. Reed trailed by 12 at the half, and came back to win thanks to converting back-to-back Galena turnovers into scores to start the second half.
Reed enters Friday’s showdown with a 10-1 record, while Carson is 9-2.
Here is a week-by-week recap of how each team got here.
Week 1
Carson 23, Hug 13: Carson trailed 13-9 after three quarters, but a 5-yard pass from Garrett Schafer to Alan Cohen and a 2-yard run by Joey Thurman in the fourth quarter enabled Carson to rally for the win. Schafer threw for 198 yards.
Reed 38, Foothill 28: QB Chris Denn threw for 185 yards and three scores in the Raiders’ season-opening win in Redding.
Week 2
Reno 23, Carson 17: Tied after three quarters, Carson surrendered a fourth-quarter score and dropped to 1-1. Joey Thurman ran for 80 yards and also had two catches for 86 yards, including n 81-yard TD pass. Carson had trouble containing Reno QB Matthew Young.
Reed: Bye week
Week 3
Carson 19, McQueen 6: A 14-point second-quarter was the difference in the game. The Carson defense gave up 200 yards on the ground, but only one first-period score. The six points is the fewest Carson has allowed in a single game.
Reed 48, Douglas 28: Christopher Denn threw three TD passes in the first quarter and Jordan DeLeon rushed for two scores, as the Raiders rolled to an easy win to go to 2-0.
Week 4
Carson 49, North Valleys 12: Carson rolled to 35-6 first-half lead and coasted to an easy win. Dilyn Rooker had a career-best 117-yard and two-touchdown effort, and Thurman had a 98-yard kickoff return.
Reed 53, Manogue 7: Reed rolled to a 40-0 halftime lead en route to an easy win. Jordan DeLeon ran for 88 yards and two scores, and Chris Denn threw for 129 yards and ran for 48 more.
Week 5
Reed 64, Carson 28: This was a great game for a half. Carson trailed 21-19 after two periods, but fell victim to a 36-0 third-quarter barrage by the Raiders which was the difference. DeLeon missed the game with an injury. Christopher Denn threw for 356 yards and four scores, and he also ran for 66 yards. The dangerous Trae Wells caught eight balls for 172 yards. Joey Thurman ran for 97 yards and a score, 71 yards coming on a fourth-quarter score. Garrett Schafer threw for 193 yards.
WEEK 6
Carson 38, Damonte Ranch 35: Carson dominated for three quarters (24-7), but almost fell victim to a frantic comeback by the Mustangs, who scored 28 in the fourth quarter. The teams combined for 42 points in the final 12 minutes. Joey Thurman ran for 129 and three scores, and Nevin Elliott chalked up 98 and two scores.
Reed 35, McQueen 17: Jordan DeLeon scored twice and rushed for 86 yards. Reed led 21-0 in the first half. Chris Denn threw for 198 yards.
WEEK 7
Carson: The Senators had a bye week, as coach Blair Roman elected not to find a game this late in the season.
Reed 41, Hug 6: The Raiders chalked up a 34-0 lead after three before taking the pedal off the gas. Trae Wells caught two TD passes and had 64 yards. Chris Denn threw for 141 and rushed for 81.
WEEK 8
Carson 27, Galena 26: A 78-yard fumble return by Joey Thurman enabled Carson to pull out a come-from-behind win over the favored Grizzlies. Thurman also ran for 100 yards, while Nevin Elliott rushed for 67 and a score. Elliott also had a receiving score.
Reed 59, North Valleys 40: Christopher Denn accounted for 354 yards of total offense, as the Raiders built up a 59-26 lead before allowing two late scores by the Panthers.
WEEK 9
Carson 45, Manogue 28: The Senators chalked up more than 400 yards of total offense, as Garrett Schafer threw for 223 yards and two scores, a 77-yarder to Alan Cohen and a 49-yarder to Chase Blueberg. Nevin Elliott ran for 120 yards and two scores. Carson intercepted two passes which led to scores, including one by sophomore Asa Carter.
Reno 29, Reed 27: The Raiders suffered their first loss of the year, as the Huskies scored twice in the fourth quarter to overcome 27-17 deficit. Christopher Denn accounted for nearly 300 yards of total offense.
WEEK 10
Carson 19, Douglas 13: Joey Thurman’s 2-yard run in OT decided this rivalry game. The big play was an Aaron Perez 42-yard interception return which enabled Carson to tie the game and end it into the extra period. Joey Thurman ran for 91 yards and Nevin Elliott chipped in with 69.
Reed 63, Spanish Springs 28: The Raiders scored 49 second-half points to break open a tight game. Christopher Denn accounted for 282 yards and three scores. The Raiders game up 396 yards, 339 by SS quarterback Hunter Fralick.
WEEK 11
Carson 55, Spanish Springs 42: The Senators withstood a record-setting performance by Hunter Fralick to survive the opening-round playoff game. Carson nearly blew a 28-point lead. Nevin Elliott ran for a career-best 212 yards and three scores, while Joey Thurman rushed for 74 yards. Garrett Schafer threw for 111 yards on 9-for-11 passing.
Reed 55, Douglas 7: The Raiders built a 34-7 halftime lead and coasted in the final 24 minutes. DeLeon led the way with four rushing touchdowns, while Christopher Denn added one.
WEEK 12
Carson 27, Damonte Ranch 10: The defense had two picks and twice halted drives in the red zone in the first-round playoff win. Garrett Schafer threw for two scores, while Joey Thurman accounted for 162 yards in rushing, passing and receiving stats.
Reed 53, Galena 44: The Raiders scored 39 second-half points to come back from a 12-point deficit. Jordan DeLeon ran for 299 yards and five scores.