Asa Carter has done it all for Carson

The finish line is just ahead for Asa Carter.

Today, at the first day of the NIAA State Track & Field Championships, begins the final chapter for one of the best athletes to ever come out of Carson High School.

In the era of specialization, Carter is a rarity. He’s a three-sport star. He has excelled in football, basketball and track en route to earning 10 varsity letters. That many letters is almost unheard of because few play varsity football or varsity basketball as freshmen.

“It’s been a long ride,” Carter said, relaxing outside the office of Bob Bateman, CHS athletic director. “It’s been a lot of work. It’s been a lot of fun. My family, all we ever did is watch and play sports.

“I never get much time off. I think the most time I’ve ever had off is four days. I just loved the work; the challenges. I don’t question it. I love the effort you have to put into it. It was always the plan to play three sports. For me, the toughest decision was whether to play basketball or wrestle in the winter.”

Here’s what Carter has been able to do.

In football, he was a two-time Sierra League Player of the Year, a three-year all-league and all-region selection. He rushed for 2,074 yards in essentially two years because his sophomore season he was mainly a defensive back. He had 227 tackles, 13 interceptions, six caused fumbles and five blocked kicks.

In track, he placed fourth in 2015 in the state triple jump and had sixth-place finishes his freshman and sophomore years. He has won three straight regional triple-jump championships, and set a school record with a 48-3 mark this season.

In basketball, he’s coming off a season in which he was named Sierra League Player of the Year, and he was a big reason why the Senators went undefeated in league and regional play en route to making the state tournament. He was a two-year starter his last two seasons and a part-time starter his sophomore year.

Three-sport athletes are an aberration rather than the norm these days, but in many cases an athlete may be good in two of the sports and plays a third to keep in shape or stay busy. Carter is good in everything he attempts.

Carter, who is headed to Division II Southwest Baptist University for football and track, is one of those guys who goes about his job in a business-like fashion. He certainly isn’t a “chest-thumping look at me” sort of guy. That’s refreshing.

“I’ve always thought it’s possible to do anything if you put in the work, and I’ve put in the work here since Day 1,” said the CHS senior.

Where does he rank in CHS history?

Most people asked about it, feel Carter is probably in the top five. Certainly in the past 15 years there has been nobody better attempting to play all three sports.

“As a three-sport athlete. I’m not sure we’ve had many athletes like Asa at CHS at least since 1994 when I was here,” Carson football coach Blair Roman said. “I believe he ranks up there with the best in school history. More importantly, he is a kid who bought in and did the right things. He deserves the accolades he’s received from that standpoint. An outstanding person who was a lot of fun to coach everyday.”

“Without a doubt No. 1 in the time I’ve been at Carson,” said Bateman, who has been at CHS 30-plus years. “And, he’s great from a character standpoint. As a coach and athletic director you want somebody who can represent the school on and off the field. Asa is an outstanding young man who always does the right thing. Player of the Year in two sports and when you throw in the academics, he’s unbelievable to be around. It’s a tribute to his mental and physical toughness.”

The mental toughness is important, because all the time it takes to do three sports and achieve a 3.7 GPA, time management is critical.

“I go to school, go to practice, come home, take a shower, eat dinner, do homework and go to bed,” Carter said. “You don’t have much personal time. You have to get things done. There are always deadlines to be met. I seem to work better in stressful situations.”

Part of that physical toughness comes from having six older bothers. Asa is the seventh of eight boys to play sports at CHS. No doubt he took his share of lumps on the playground.

“Having six older brothers is the only reason I’m as good as I am,” Carter said. “They always let me play with them (in the yard). I learned a lot from watching them play. I think I’m probably closer to Paul because he was around the whole time growing up.

“I don’t know where I’d rank within the family. Definitely behind Josh and probably Paul.”

Paul Carter was an assistant football coach for several years at CHS, and he isn’t surprised by his little brother’s success.

“Watching him grow up, I always knew he would be good,” Paul Carter said. “Top player in football and basketball, that is pretty unique.”

In reality, it all starts at home.

“It starts with the parents,” CHS basketball coach Carlos Mendeguia said. “They are a high character family. You only have to tell Asa one time. Asa Carters don’t come along very often. He always does the right thing. He’s one guy I never worry about off the court. Asa is leaving a legacy at Carson High.

“Having the Carter blood is a definite plus,” track coach Robert Maw said. “They are all big and athletic. I’ve coached a couple of his brothers (Josh and Luke). He is dedicated to whatever sport he’s in.”

Playing favorites

Asa Carter said football and track are his two best sports and basketball is third.

When Carter says basketball is the worst of his three sports, you have to take it with the proverbial grain of salt. In football and track, numbers tell the direct story. In basketball they don’t. Defense never shows up on a stat sheet. If you look at a basketball box score you wouldn’t know Carter held the opposing player under his average. You would have to read the story.

“I put him on the best scorer on the other team, and he would either shut them out or hold them well below their average,” Mendeguia said. “How often is your top scorer your best defensive player? Asa was a part-time basketball player. He put the time in during the summer and during the season.

“You always wonder how good he could have been at any of the three sports if he concentrated full-time on one of them.”

Carter is one of the few football players in Northern Nevada who has the ability to take over a game and carry a team.

“Asa is one of the most talented players I’ve ever coached,” Roman said. “I’ve had Dylan Sawyers, Jon Parker, Chance Quilling and Joey Thurman, and like Asa, they all had an incredible will and toughness. What separates Asa is his will to win.”

Carter has had a lot of big moments in his high school career, but one particular football game stands out from his junior season.

With time winding down and the Senators trailing, 28-24, Joe Nelson heaved a pass to the middle of the field. The defender had turned around and was facing the ball. It didn’t matter. Carter reached over the top, grabbed the ball and sprinted to the end zone for the game-winning score.

“I don’t remember the play really,” Carter said. “I always felt we had a chance to pull it out.”

The low point came last year at Del Sol High School in Las Vegas at the state track meet.

“I was No. 1 going into the event and I finished fourth,” Carter said. “Yes, the runway was shorter than I was used to, but everybody had to deal with it. I’m not going to use that as an excuse.”

This year he’s again seeded No. 1 in the triple jump, and nothing would be finer than ending his high school career with an individual state championship. He also could be a factor in the long jump.

“I think I can get to 23 in the long jump,” he said. “I think the top guys are in the high 22s and low 23s. I really don’t look at the numbers during the season, I just focus on myself; try to do things to improve my marks.

“The weather is supposed to be a lot cooler this weekend (maybe rain). I think it could be an advantage for me because I’m used to the weather and I know how to warm up properly.”

Beside the two individual events, Carter is also running a leg on the Senators’ 1600-meter relay team. It will take a season-best effort again to finish in the top four.

“We run better when we have people in front of us,” Carter said. “I think we can get to 3:23 this weekend.”