SPARKS — Eddie Duarte always wanted to play tight end, and Friday night he got his chance.
With injuries to the Senators’ top two tight ends, Ian Schulz and Josh Thompson, Duarte was inserted at tight end and played the entire game in Carson’s 28-6 win over Spanish Springs.
Duarte wasn’t targeted for a pass, but he did a solid job blocking .
“I was told Tuesday before practice,” Duarte said. “Coach (Blair) Roman brought me into his office and told me he was prepping me to play tight end this week.
“It took a little bit of time to learn (and memorize) the plays, but I did it. I thought I played pretty well.”
Duarte’s ability to downblock on the defensive end was helpful in getting Carson’s power run game going.
“We ran a lot behind him,” Roman said. “I thought he did a pretty good job.”
Roman said Schulz was unable to practice this past week, and Thompson was declared out of the game early in the week. Roman said Schulz won’t play until he can get some practice time in.
THAT FIRST INTERCEPTION
Junior Spencer Rogers collected his first interception of his varsity career when he picked off a pass thrown by Korbin Marcum.
“Finally,” Rogers said in the locker room. “I was waiting for it. It was fourth-and-9, and coach (Steve) Dilley said they would run a wheel route. I saw it coming. It was low, but I still got it.”
The interception killed the Cougars’ drive which had reached the Carson 43. It was one of three trips by the Cougars ito Carson territory in the second half.
INJURY OUTLOOK
Besides Schulz and Thompson, Nick Andreas and Austin Ackerman missed the contest. Ackerman had essentially been playing on one good leg the past two weeks.
POTPOURRI
Abel Carter had his streak of 100-yard games snapped. He rushed nine times for 60 yards … Carson rushed for 270 yards … Unofficially Carson was credited with five sacks, its best output for a single game in quite some time… Spanish Springs was flagged for five penalties for 54 yards, including a couple of cheap shots.