The school year is rapidly coming to a close, and it’s been one of the best sports seasons in my 12 years at the Appeal.
Carson’s boys won the state soccer title, knocking off Wooster twice in six days.
Football won the Sierra League again and reached the regional finals, and basketball went undefeated in league and won the region tournament before falling in the state semifinals. Wrestling captured the Sierra League title and sent several wrestlers to the state tournament, and baseball was second in league play and racked up 23 wins. And, on the girls side, the Senators’ soccer and volleyball teams reached the post-season once again. It was truly a job well done. Kudos to all the athletes and coaches.
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I was as disappointed as anybody else when Carson was eliminated in the third game of the tournament. Hopes were high after the 16-6 league mark. Many people feel Carson underachieved in the tournament. It’s not an opinion I share. Carson was a good team, but there were a lot of good teams in the area. The Senators squeezed out a lot of tough wins. They won a lot of games in the latter innings, games that could have gone either way. Carson should be holding its head high. Twenty-three wins is nothing to sneeze at, especially when you think where this program was when Bryan Manoukian took over. The team won just 14 games his first two seasons and 18 last season.
The Senators lose a lot of talent in Connor Pradere, Cody Azevedo, John Holton, Terek Been, Kyle Gagnon, Joe Nelson and Kyle Krebs. It would have been nice to have Nelson around the entire year, but it’s nothing short of miraculous he re-habbed and got himself back in time to see some late-season action.
The cupboard isn’t exactly bare, however.
Catcher Jayson Artz (.400 1 RBI), infielders Jace Keema (.287, 19 RBI), Abel Carter (.367, 15 RBI), shortstop-pitcher Jared Barnard (.120, 3 RBI and 4-2, 4.23 ERA), catcher-pitcher Trevor Edis (.250, 4 RBI and 4-1, 3.78), outfielder Jesse Lopez (.350, 16 RBI), pitcher-outfielder Bryce Moyle (.287, 26 RBI and 6-3, 2.75), outfielder Nico Salm (.500, 5 RBI), Luke Myers (.500, 2 RBI), outfielder Brandon Gagnon (.333, 3 RBI), pitcher-first baseman Cole McDannald (0-0, 6.17 ERA and .375 2 RBI), pitcher Derek Schafer (.250 2 RBI and 0-0, 4.20 ERA and infielder Kellen McDermott (.000, 2 RBI) return,
“We have a lot of guys back, but many of them didn’t get a lot of playing time,” Manoukian said, referring mainly to position players like Salm, Myers, Artz, McDermott and Gagnon. “We’ll take care of that this summer.”
Besides three of his top pitchers back in Moyle, Edis and Barnard, he does have Keema, Lopez and Carter returning. Carter hit a triple and double in the 10-3 loss to Manogue in the final tournament game.
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What was originally supposed to be a tripleheader to start the 2016 football season with three Arizona schools facing Galena, Carson and Reed at Mackay Stadium in late August, has turned into a doubleheader. Reed’s opponent has bailed, and will play a game on ESPN. So now Galena and Carson will play Mesa and Desert Mountain, respectively. The games are still scheduled for Mackay, pending stadium renovations at UNR. If the games are moved, Carson will host the games. Former NFL great Kurt Warner has a son who plays for Desert Mountain. Game times have yet to be determined.
Reed managed to schedule Clayton Valley Charter.
one of the top teams in the East Bay.