The margin was about the same. The result wasn't. A year after losing 53-7 in Carson City, South Tahoe turned the tables on the Senators on Friday night and trounced Carson High School 56-14.
The win assured a playoff spot for the 4-2 Vikings, while Carson must now defeat Douglas next week and hope that Hug loses its final two games to create a three-way tie for fourth in Division II.
"We needed to show Carson we knew how to play," said South Tahoe running back Jake Hurwitz, who had touchdown runs of 56, 6, 40 and 48 yards in his most successful trip to Carson's stadium since winning the Division II 100-meter title last spring. "We wanted to show Carson we were a physical team that can beat anyone."
Hurwitz left the Senator defenders shaking their heads.
"Personally, I thought we'd stop the run," said defensive end Gonzalo Cavillo. "I don't know what happened."
Carson didn't help itself at all in the game, falling behind early after committing two turnovers and numerous penalties. More than 20 penalties were committed by the teams during the game.
"It was the same things that have hurt us all season," said Carson coach Bob Bateman. "We'd run well and then get a foolish penalty or turn the ball over.
"It would've been a better game if we didn't beat ourselves."
The game started off decently for Carson as Senator running back Josh Carter answered the Vikings' touchdown on their opening drive with a 1-yard run to tie the score 7-7 on the first play of the second quarter. The big play in the scoring drive was a 46-yard run by Doug Brooks.
South Tahoe came right back and scored on Hurwitz' first TD of the night, a 56-yarder. Until that point, Hurwitz' longest run in his first seven carries had been just five yards. But once the junior broke into the Senator secondary, his speed took over and he easily outdistanced the Carson defenders to goal line.
South Tahoe took a two-touchdown lead at 21-7 when it converted a Carson fumble on a handoff at the 45 into a 2-yard touchdown run by Tim Sprinkles four plays later.
Carson couldn't move the ball on its subsequent possession and punted the ball away. From the Carson 44, Sprinkles then found Jerry Seeley on a 38-yard pass play that put the ball on the Senator 6. From there, Hurwitz easily scored and Carson was already in a deep hole, 28-7.
Marc Liveratti blocked a Viking punt late in the first half to give the Senators a good chance to score before the half, but poor time management left Carson without even a field goal attempt before time ran out.
The second half was all Hurwitz, as he scored on runs of 40 and 48 yards on the Vikes' first two possessions of the half.
It was 56-7 before Steve Schofield scored a late touchdown for the Senators with 4:10 left in the game.
The one bright spot in the game for the Senators was Josh Carter, who gained 54 yards on 12 carries. His previous total for the season was three yards on two carries.
Carson faces Douglas at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.
