When Carson High visits Spanish Springs Friday night in a nonleague football game, the Senators are going to have a little extra incentive.
The Cougars are the last road team to beat Carson on its own field, a 28-27 regular-season loss last season.
“I think the kids are going to be excited to play,” Carson coach Blair Roman said. “Spanish Springs came in here and beat us. We didn’t play very well last year, and they (Spanish Springs) did a good job against us.”
After the Spanish Springs game, the Senators are home for two straight weeks (Hug, Sept. 25, homecoming and Damonte Ranch, Oct. 2), and that’s good news for Roman’s team.
Home losses have been rare since Roman took over the head job in 2008. Carson has compiled a 34-7 home record, and aside from a 1-3 home mark in 2008, have had a winning season at home every year since then. In 2010, 2011 and 2013 Carson didn’t lose a home game. In 2009 and 2014, the Senators were 5-1 at home.
“We have played well at home,” Roman said. “There’s a comfort to playing at home. You practice all week on the field, and that confidence level is there. We also draw pretty well at home.”
MORE COUGARS
The Cougars had last weekend off after blanking Bishop Manogue, 21-0, on Sept. 4. Spanish Springs lost its season-opener, 42-7, to Damonte Ranch.
“They are very athletic at wide receiver and defensive back,” Roman said. “Their offensive line has pretty good size. We want to try and make them one dimensional.
“Their defense is similar to what Reed runs. They are very aggressive and fly to the ball. They are not a big team.”
The Cougars are using two quarterbacks — junior Korbin Marcum and senior Ian Check. Marcum has completed 11 of 23 passes for 143 yards and a score, and Check has completed 19 of 36 for 181 yards and no scores. Travis Vargas, a returnee, has run for 186 yards and three scores, and Austin Cadenhead is the team’s top receiver with nine catches for 194 yards and a score.
Defensively Liam Stevens, a senior linebacker, and fellow linebacker Joey Bray are the top tacklers with 11 apiece. Linebacker Cody Hires has 10 stops thus far.
INJURY REPORT
Roman is expecting runing back Elijah Fajayan (ankle), lineman Eddie Duarte (foot), defensive lineman Bryceton Schilling (ankle) and tight end-defensive end Ian Schulz (ankle) to return to action this week. He said defensive back Caulin Bartley is day-to-day.
Tight end Josh Thompson, who caught his first pass of the season on Friday, suffered a leg injury, and may miss Friday’s game. If Thompson and Schulz can’t go, Brian Pittenger would start. Roman said Pittenger is a good blocker. Long snapper Adam Domitrovich is questionable (shoulder). The back-up snappers are Corey Jasper and Jake Roman.
GOOD START
Sheldon Miller, who made his first appearance of the season last Friday, drew praise from his coach.
Miller was in on four stops, one solo and three assisted.