Nelson steps up at QB in his first start

Joe Nelson’s first-ever start at Carson High was a successful one.

Nelson, who started in place of Nolan Shine at quarterback on Friday, completed 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards and a score, and he also ran three times for 15 yards to help Carson High to an easy 42-0 win over Bishop Manogue Friday night at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex.

“I felt really comfortable out there,” Nelson said. “My teammates did a good job of keeping me calm, and a lot of the guys came up and told me they believed in me.

“I wish I could have completed a couple of those long passes. That usually is my forte.”

Fortunately for Nelson, he didn’t have to worry about completing passes because the Senators’ running game produced a season-best 331 yards. All Nelson had to do was take care of the ball, and he did exactly that.

“I saw things that we can build off of,” Carson coach Blair Roman said. “I was pleased with what he did tonight.”

BURNS GETS FIRST TD

Fullback Seamus Burns, who missed the first five games of the season with a lacerated liver, scored his first TD of the season in the fourth quarter to give Carson a 42-0 lead.

Burns made his first start of the year and unofficially gained 59 yards on 12 carries. He also did a great job blocking for Brown and Asa Carter. “I like to deliver a hit (block) and get everybody riled up,” Burns said. “We’ve got four good backs, Colby, Elijah (Fajayan), Asa (Carter) and myself, so we’ve got good depth. We can keep people fresh.”

Burns’ score was his first since he scored late in last year’s game against Manogue.

The stocky Burns also made a couple of nice tackles on special teams.

O’KEEFE SHINES

Brady O’Keefe made his first start of the year in the defensive backfield, and he turned in a solid effort.

O’Keefe was starting in the spot formerly held by Brandon Maffei, who could return as early as the Galena game. O’Keefe was in on several tackles and did a nice job on pass coverage along with Asa Carter, Caulin Bartley and Dylin Rooker.

“He’d been doing a pretty good job on the scout team for us, and we needed to give him a shot back there,” Roman said.”He played that spot last year on JV.”

O’Keefe also had a 44-yard punt return late in the third quarter which set up Colby Brown’s fifth TD run of the game, a 4-yard run with 3:22 left. O’Keefe bobbled the ball, and then broke loose down the left sideline before getting hammered out of bounds at the Manogue 31.

POTPOURRI

Caulin Bartley’s first-quarter interception went for naught when Carson was stopped on downs at the Manogue 16 ...Johnny Barahona was a perfect 6-for-6 on PATs ... Ikela Lewis and Ian Schulz had sacks for the Senators.