Decarlo Quintana makes a catch in double coverage against Bishop Manogue last Friday for Carson High. Quintana had seven receptions for the Senators.
Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage
Editor's note: Due to a COVID result with the Galena football team, Carson High will now be traveling to Spanish Springs Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Cougars.
It’s a short spring season and plenty of high school coaches are building for the fall, but someone will get a win Friday night between Carson High and Galena.
The Senators and the Grizzlies have yet to find the win column, but have each faced their share of tough opponents to kick off the pandemic-shortened slate.
Coming off a 42-0 loss to Bishop Manogue last week, Carson High head coach Blair Roman was emphatic with the way his team played against the defending Northern Nevada regional champs.
Friday night, the Senators hope to get a chance to show some of those early building blocks.
“I think we made some strides on the mentality and attitude piece last week and we want to fix some of the things in practice still this week,” said Roman. “They are a young team, just like we are.”
Grading the Grizzlies
Galena won’t let the Senators study just one guy, as the Grizzlies have already used three players at quarterback this season.
Roman anticipates Carson having to prepare most for No. 5 Tyler Rowan, who threw for 54 yards last week against McQueen.
“He’s a good athlete who can make some things happen with his feet,” said Roman. “He’s a big concern of ours, in terms of containing him.”
At running back, Galena features several names with Austin Coons mustering the most yards thus far.
Coons has 37 yards rushing on the ground this season and 13 yards receiving.
Galena’s defense features its most senior leadership, as four of its top five tacklers this season are seniors.
Laith Hendi (No. 8) and JJ Bogart (No. 12) have 29 and 23 tackles, respectively, so far this year for the Grizzlies.
Galena may not show as much pressure this season compared to previous seasons, but Roman expects the Grizzlies to drop back into zone coverage and try to keep Carson from creating big plays.
Opening up the Senator offense
Roman didn’t come straight out and say it, but the Senators will definitely be looking to continue gaining offensive rhythm Friday.
On the ground Jacob Campbell put together some solid yardage and Roman also expects Jeremy Heaton’s physical presence to show itself to would-be tacklers.
“Our running game is going to develop more and more as we develop ourselves up front,” said Roman. “(Campbell) is a real shifty, shifty back and can do a lot of nice things.”
Through the air, Vinnie Ferretti and DeCarlo Quintana had seven connections against Bishop Manogue.
An air raid approach has never been Carson High’s forte over the last few seasons, but the Senators may be beginning to find a combination they can rely on as the season progresses.
“One of our goals is to throw the ball effectively as an offense,” said Roman. “We are going to throw it as many times as we think we need in order to win.”
