Carson High running back Christian Rey (21) breaks free from McQueen defenders Friday night at home. Rey and the Senator ground game accounted for nearly 400 yards rushing in a 31-28 win over the Lancers.
Photo by Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage.
The attitude has changed around Carson High School football this fall.
After beating McQueen Friday night, 31-28, it’s obvious the belief among the players and coaches has shifted.
The Senators are no longer the pushovers.
Instead, Carson has been showcasing its ability to run its opponents over, doing so Friday with a brutally effective ground game.
The determination in the run game couldn’t have been more evident as the Senators pounded the rock for 308 yards on the ground, unofficially.
“Motivation and a lot of heart. There’s a lot of us who want to go out there and compete,” said senior running back Angelo Macias. “We want to go out in glory.”
It marks Carson’s first win over the Lancers since 2017.
FINISHING OFF MCQUEEN
Carson trailed 21-17 late in the third quarter, but put together one of several long drives on the evening.
The Senators entire drive was handoffs as Carson marched 58 yards in less than four minutes to take back the lead, 24-21, on a Christian Rey 16-yard touchdown run.
Rey had three rushing touchdowns in the win.
“We have the team to do it this year. We have the determination and we have the confidence,” said Rey.
Carson grabbed a two-score lead on its next drive, going 63 yards on six run plays, leaving it to Macias to score the Senators’ final points of the evening.
His 12-yard touchdown run was the epitome of the heart the Senators have been showing on the turf this season.
Macias bounced off a first tackler before getting stood up around the seven.
The senior back kept his feet churning and nearly the rest of the offense – tight ends Charles Ore and Ethan Linehan along with lineman Ayden Krueger, Joseph Madera and others – pushed the pile the final six-plus yards across the goal line.
8:04 4Q | Carson 31, McQueen 21
Angelo Macias powers in a 12-yard touchdown run as the Senators move back in front by two scores.
Incredible effort from the Carson RB and blockers. pic.twitter.com/9eBQTlyZPA
“We waited way too long for this and we are all excited. We are all thrilled,” said Macias. “I love my lineman. It was amazing. It’s a big step for us.”
The Senators saw gaps to feast on all evening.
Carson’s final 19 offensive snaps of the game were all handoffs to Macias, Rey or Justin Hernandez.
“The holes were there. I love my lineman. The holes were there,” said Rey.
As the confidence grows, the Senator head coach knows there’s still more coming.
“We’ve been working so hard to get these kids to believe in their physicality. That o-line and tight ends embraced this game,” said Carson head coach Ryan Boshard. “.. We have a whole lot more that we haven’t shown out of the Maryland I and in the passing game as well.”
The 308 yards rushing doesn’t include a 78-yard run that nearly resulted in a touchdown for Carson, but the Lancers were able to chase down the play and force a fumble, which they recovered in the end zone.
OPENING HALF
Carson scored the first 10 points of the game in part due to its defensive prowess.
The Senators defensive front forced its 13th turnover of the season on McQueen’s opening drive. JT Heaton was credited with the fumble recovery.
Three offensive plays later, Carson was on the board as Rey punched in a two-yard touchdown run, capitalizing on the turnover early in the first quarter.
Carson’s defense followed with another stand, forcing the Lancers to punt around midfield.
The Senators’ second drive of the game resulted in points, too.
Starting from its own 16, Carson moved the ball down to McQueen’s 22 before Drake Hardcastle connected on a 39-yard field goal.
Hardcastle’s kick had plenty of room to spare as the senior quarterback and kicker put the Senators in front, 10-0, with 3:12 to go in the opening quarter.
McQueen was able to problem solve in the second quarter, scoring 14 unanswered points on back-to-back touchdown drives to take the lead into the locker room.
But as Carson’s offense got back on track in the second half, the defense went back to stopping drives when it mattered.
Darron Rey scooped up a fumble recovery in the second half as the Senators continued to find ways to create turnovers.
Even after McQueen’s final score cut it to three, 31-28, with 6:52 to play Carson’s offense was able to drain nearly the rest of the clock.
With only 14 seconds remaining, the Lancers had one final possession to try and come up with a late score, but the Senators’ defense held strong.
“They want it. They just flat out want it,” said Boshard.
UP NEXT: Carson (3-1) will host the 101st installment of ‘The Rivalry Game’ next Friday night against Douglas (3-1).
The Tigers are coming off a 56-35 win over North Valleys.
“We are ready to get on Douglas this week,” said Rey.
AREA SCORES
Douglas 56, North Valleys 32
Reno 32, Galena 7
Pittsburgh (CA) 41, Bishop Manogue 14
Reed 42, Hug 6
Damonte Ranch 31, Fallon 14
Spanish Springs 42, Wooster 0
Tonopah 26, Virginia City 8
Truckee 42, Saint Vincent de Paul 22