Carson senior Asa Carter runs against Galena earlier this season.
Carson High got off to an ugly start by fumbling on its first two offensive plays.
The Senators were unstoppable after that, as Greg Wallace scored three times, and Asa and Abel Carter scored a touchdown apiece in a 51-21 win over Galena on Senior Night at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex
Carson won its seventh straight game, and heads into its bye week with a third straight Sierra League championship under its belt. Carson closes out its season on Oct. 29 at Douglas.
“We played a pretty good team, and I thought we asserted ourselves,” CHS head coach Blair Roman said. “I thought we played at a high level.”
Carson’s offense played so well (481 yards) it was able to overcome 140 yards in penalties.
And, Carson cashed in, for the second straight week, in short field situations. Carson had scoring drives of 52, 17, 8, 43, 58, 87, minus-3, 37 and 58 yards, respectively. You can’t give a team like Carson field position like that and expect to escape unscathed. Good teams take advantage of those type of situationss, and Carson is a good team.
The Senators played without starting quarterback Joe Nelson (sprained knee), but Jace Keema played a strong game under center. Keema went 10-for-14 passing for 159 yards and a score. He also rushed eight times for 25 yards. His passing was much better than the previous week against Manogue when he went 1-for-5. He looked smoother and more confident in the pocket.
“I thought I executed well,” Keema said. “There are always a couple of plays you’d like to take back. I got more reps this week, and I stayed after practice on Tuesday to work with the receivers.”
Carson broke a scoreless tie on its third drive, taking over at its own 48 after a short punt by Mateo Lemus.
On first down, Keema threw one down the middle to Connor Pradere, who made his best catch of the season for a first down at the Galena 17. Sophomore Abel Carter who rushed for 99 yards, scored on the next play. Johnny Barahona’s PAT made it 7-0 with 3:25 left in the opening quarter.
On Galena’s first play on the ensuing possession, Abel Carter stepped in front of a Derek Kline pass in the right flat at the 25 and returned it to the 20.
On Carson’s first snap, a short run by Asa Carter, the Senators were hit with a holding penalty which pushed the ball back to the Galena 32. Abel Carter carried for 23 yards down to the Galena 9. Another holding penalty pushed the ball back to the 19, and Carson eventually had to settle for a 20-yard Johnny Barahona field goal which made it 10-0 with 1:04 left.
The mistakes continued to pile up for the Grizzlies.
On fourth and 11 from their own 31, the Grizzlies’ fourth-down punt snap sailed over Mateo Lemus’ head. Lemus caught up to the ball and was dropped at his own 8.
Three plays later, Wallace scored the first of his season-best three TDs from the 1. Barahona’s PAT made it 17-0 with 8:50 left in the half.
Galena got back in the game with one big play — a 73-yard scamper by Lemus. The PAT made it 17-7.
Galena tried a squib kick which Spencer Rogers returned to the Galena 43.
Carson scored four plays later when Keema hit Pradere (7 catches, 139 yards) on a 31-yard TD pass to make it 24-7 with 7:26 left before intermission.
Galena struck back, driving 77 yards on eight plays and a penalty.
On fourth-and-5, Kline caught the Carson defense napping and completed a 38-yard pass down the middle to Jarred Kiesling to make it 24-14.
Carson restored order, scoring twice in the final four minutes to take a 38-14 lead into the locker room.
The first score was a 6-yard run by Wallace, capping a 58-yard drive. The big play was a 39-yard completion to Pradere. The second was an 86-yard scamper by Asa Carter. It was Carson’s second-longest play from scrimmage this year.
“It was just a fly sweep,” Carter said. “Jace made a great fake and the defensive end bit on it and there was nobody outside.”
Asa Carter came up with another big play early in the third quarter when he blocked Lemus’ punt. Lemus got the ball, but was then tackled by Abel Carter inside the Galena 10. A holding penalty pushed Carson back to the 17, and after the drive fizzled, Barahona kicked another field goal, this one from 29 yards to make it 41-14.
Galena’s last points came on an 80-yard drive caped by Kline’s 14-yard TD pass to Mitch Reid, cutting the deficit to 41-21.
The Senators got a third field goal by Barahona and a 7-yard TD run by Wallace to go up by 30 with 4:07 left in the game.