Carson’s JT Heaton tackles a North Valleys back for a loss last Friday in the Senators’ 25-24 OT win over the Panthers.
Photo by Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage.
Usually, after winning a league title with a game remaining on your regular season schedule, it sets up a potential lull game prior to the postseason.
With this Friday being the 100th anniversary of The Rivalry, it’s not likely there will be any letup from the Douglas Tigers football team.
“It’s the biggest rivalry in the state of Nevada. I think that speaks for itself. I think the kids are excited for it. If you’re not excited for the Carson game, you’re not in the right place,” said Douglas head coach Kyle Mays.
Ironically, both Douglas and Carson have their postseason seeds set as the Senators have claimed the No. 4 seed and will host a home playoff game between the winner of Hug-North Valleys to open the playoffs on Oct. 27.
Douglas will have an opening round bye and then play the winner of that 4-5 contest.
Hard-nosed football
The two team’s identities haven’t changed much over the past few seasons.
Sure, Douglas’ win-loss record is vastly improved, but for the most part both Carson and Douglas like to stick to their similar schemes.
That won’t change Friday as both teams have been heavily reliant on the power run game.
Carson features a tandem backfield of Christian Rey and Angelo Macias, who are both bruisers capable to moving the sticks.
Through the first seven games of the season, both backs had tallied 300 yards on the ground and several combined touchdowns.
Douglas fans may also see JT Heaton in the backfield to do something similar.
When Carson wants to truly change speeds, the Senators look at Jake Weninger.
Weninger has been Carson’s bright spot at several points this season and is easily the quickest player in a blue and white uniform this fall.
“Offensively, they’re going to do their normal stuff,” said Mays.
The Senators will have their hands full trying to slow down the state’s leading rusher in Douglas’ Connor Jackson.
Jackson continues to rack up 100-yard performances and scored his 22nd and 23rd touchdowns of the season in the Tigers’ league-clinching win over Wooster Saturday.
Douglas also has playmakers on the outside in 6-foot-5 wide receivers, Kyle Koontz and Trace Estes, who have proven to be matchup nightmares in multiple games this season.
“They don’t do anything different no matter who they play,” said CHS head coach Ryan Boshard about Douglas. “We’re going to have to play games with them and try to confuse their line.”
Boshard thought his offensive line would have to be the X-factor for Carson against a Douglas defense that hasn’t allowed a point in the last 13 quarters of action.
“If we do what we’re supposed to do, we can move the ball. We’ve done it against every opponent, but we’ve shot ourselves in the foot,” said Boshard. “I’m not too worried about moving the ball.”
Carson will have to protect the football has the Tigers have registered 31 takeaways in their nine games this season.
Neither team is expecting any starters to be missing due to injury.
Though their postseasons may be set, the 100th anniversary of the first Rivalry Game and another installment of Carson-Douglas will be enough to make this game a can’t miss.