Carson High football: Offensive line opens up holes for running game

SPARKS — Carson High’s offensive line has been a strength of the team the entire season, and it came up with another solid performance Friday night.

Despite missing center Austin Ackerman and having Eddie Duarte move to tight end because of injuries, the Senators’ front group helped account for 270 yards on the ground in a 28-6 win over Spanish Springs.

Corey Jasper took Ackerman’s spot, and Bryceton Schilling stepped into Duarte’s spot. For the most part there wasn’t a big dropoff.

“It was a tale of two halves,” CHS line coach Jim Franz said. “I thought we had a very good first half, but they did a good job against us in the second half.

“They were doing a lot of run blitzing, and we didn’t do as well as I would have hoped against it. That is good in a way, because we know that Damonte will do the same thing against us when we play them (Oct. 2).”

The group of Jasper, Schilling, Duarte, Logan Menzel, Kevin Rusler and Blaine Soukup did a good job of protecting quarterback Joe Nelson and opening up some big holes for some big running plays, including a 74-yard touchdown run by Greg Wallace, a 72-yard TD run by Asa Carter and a 58-yard run by Abel Carter.

“I think our intensity was lacking after the first half,” Menzel said. “I think we could have done a better job. It’s about not being satisfied.

“We’ve been pretty dominant so far. Our running game has been good.”

That’s an understatement. The Senators’ running game has been great, and the Senators’ stable of running backs is always quick to heap praise on their teammates up front.