Football: Tigers, Senators clash for title

After 86 years, one might think there would be no more room for "firsts."

But for the first time in the long and storied rivalry between the Carson Senators and Douglas Tigers, the two teams will meet up to decide a league championship.

"There have been some big games, no question," Douglas coach Mike Rippee said. "But we've never met for a championship."

Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday night at Carson High School in what some are calling the biggest game in the history of the rivalry.

The last time the game had such high stakes was in 1996, when the winner clinched a playoff spot and the loser went home. Douglas ended up winning 35-3 in Carson City to clinch its first-ever playoff berth in the large-school classification.

"It was a hard-fought game," Rippee said. "The weather was just horrible, it was just one of those great high school football games. It was our first time going, so that was a big win in our history."

Two years later, the two teams met up essentially with the winner getting a home playoff game and the loser having to go out on the road.

That time around, Carson won 13-10 in overtime.

There's been no shortage of close matchups throughout the history, with the matchup being decided by seven points or less 20 times, eight points twice and going to overtime twice. It's also ended in a tie three times.

Under Rippee's tenure, Douglas leads the series 13-10, including wins in each of the last seven meetings.

All of that, as far as the two coaches are concerned, is exactly what it is - the past.

"I think in the recent past, Douglas has had some outstanding teams that were probably better on paper," Carson coach Blair Roman said. "Obviousy, we feel like we are definitely on par with them. If you look at it, we are two very even teams in every facet of the game. It should be a great showdown."

Carson comes in with its best team in years - a group that blasted top-ranked Reed earlier this year and narrowly lost to McQueen and Manogue.

The Senator potent offense is predicated largely on the run, as they keep the ball on the ground for nearly 80 percent of their plays.

The result has been a team total of 2,280 yards and 34 touchdownsm compared to 860 yards through the air.

Carson leads the region in scoring by 82 points (371) and has 12 different players who have scored touchdowns this season.

The key players to watch for when the Senators have the ball will be quarterback Blake Plattsmeier, who has rushed for 358 yards and four touchdowns and completed 68 percent of his passes for 717 yards and nine touchdowns with only two interceptions.

Douglas has been a good deal more balanced in its distribution of the ball, but has still leaned heavily on the run game throughout the year with 33 percent of their plays going to the air.

Johnny Pollack has carried the bulk of the load on the ground, with a region-leading 1,015 yards to go with 11 TDs.

The key, though, may be the Tigers' ability to balance the run with the pass.

The two teams to put up 20 or more points on the Senators struck a nice balance between the pass and the run (McQueen put up 305 passing yards and 126 rushing yards while Reed put up 289 passing yards and 136 rushing yards).

Douglas has rushed for more than 100 yards and passed for more than 100 yards four times this year, including against the tough McQueen and Manogue defenses.

The Tigers have two different guys who can get the passing game going, with junior and primary starter Zack Williams (831 yards, 9 TD) and senior Lucas Peterson (282 yards, 4 TDs in three starts). Their ability to spread out the Senator defense and open up running lanes for Pollack and company will be key if they want to be able to move the ball effectively.

"We're preparing for your typical, physical Douglas football team," Roman said. "(Offensive coordinator) Ernie Monfilletto always has a couple of good wrinkles and we will too. It's always kind of a chess match, but on the whole, you know what you are getting on both sides."

Rippee agreed.

"They're not going to change their offense for us, and we're not going to change ours for them," he said. "Obviously there will be some minor adjustments here and there but what they do is what they do and they do it well. They have a heck of an offensive line and some great skill kids.

"We have some great kids too. We'll plan for one another, we'll have some wrinkles and twists, but the bottom line is that what got you to where you are is what is going to win it for you."

The Record-Courier and Nevada Appeal will be combining coverage for the game, providing play-by-play updates online at www.recordcourier.com & www.nevadaappeal.com.