RENO - On the first offensive snap of the game, Garrett Schafer completed a 9-yard pass to Logan Krupp, who fumbled the ball away.
It was that kind of night for the Carson High football team.
Consider the following:
• The Senators turned the ball over three times, leading to 10 McQueen points.
• The offensive line had its poorest game of the season, surrendering five sacks and forcing Schafer to run for his life other times.
• Carson managed just 107 yards total offense.
• Carson cashed in just once in four trips to the red zone.
All the ugliness added up to a disappointing 28-3 loss to McQueen Friday night at Ken Dalton Field.
"We just didn't play well," Carson coach Blair Roman said after his team's first loss in three games. "It wasn't a good night for our offense. We prepared all year for McQueen, and it looked like we hadn't prepared at all. That's what disappointing.
"Give McQueen credit. They executed better than us. They outhit us. We didn't execute. We didn't make plays when we were supposed to. It starts with me and goes down the line. If you want to win on the road against a good team, you can't turn the ball over like we did."
The first Carson turnover gave McQueen excellent field position at the Carson 39, and after a 9-yard run by Lucas Weber and a 10-yard scamper by Tyler Fritsen, the Lancers were in the red zone.
McQueen failed to get a first down on three straight first downs, and Fritsen came on to kick a 30-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Carson managed one first down on its next possession before punting the ball away. Casey Wolfe bombed a 50-yarder which Delon Buncio fumbled. Carson sophomore linebacker Brady Rivera fell on the ball at the McQueen 16, giving Carson a great opportunity to tie or go ahead and avenge the earlier mistake.
It ended up being a wasted opportunity.
After Joey Thurman was thrown for a short loss, McQueen was penalized five yards making it second-and-6 from the Lancers' 12.
Schafer went back to pass on the next play and fired toward Luke Maher near the goal line. The pass fell incomplete, as Maher and a McQueen defender collided. There was no call, and Roman stormed 10 yards onto the field, screaming for an interference call. It fell on deaf ears.
On the next snap, there was a bad exchange, and a McQueen defender recovered the loose ball at the 9-yard line.
After a three and out by the Lancers, Carson had excellent field position at the Lancers' 37-yard line.
Thurman and Colby Brown ripped off back-to-back 10-yard runs down to the McQueen 17. Then it got ugly, as Brown was thrown for a 4-yard loss, Schafer was sacked for a 12-yard loss and Schafer threw an incomplete pass. The drive ended when Wolfe missed a 45-yard field goal.
The Lancers' offense came alive on the ensuing series, going 80 yards in nine plays with Fritsen finding a wide open Nick Agiolo for a 31-yard score. Fritsen's PAT made it 10-0 with 15.4 left in the opening quarter.
McQueen scored on its next two possessions, cranking out another nine-play 80-yard drive which was capped by a 10-yard scoring run by Weber, and then going 71 yards in four plays with Myles Mendive grabbing a 40-yard scoring pass. The two touchdowns gave McQueen a 22-0 lead with 1:40 left in the half.
Carson's final costly mistake came midway through the third quarter.
Facing a second-and-8 from his own 26, Schafer appeared to be sacked and then tried to throw a shovel pass. It was picked off by Michael Delucchi and returned 24 yards for a score to make it 28-0.
"It was a bad decision," Roman said.
After Carson punted the ball away on its next possession, McQueen drove down to the Senators' 35. Fritsen tried to throw the ball in the left flat, but Sage Smith stepped in the way, picked it off and returned it 59 yards down to the McQueen 20.
Carson failed to get a first down, and Wolfe came on to kick a 34-yard field goal to make it 28-3.
McQueen coach Jim Snelling was especially pleased with his defense, and he was glad to see his team get its first win of the season.
"The kids did a great job," Snelling said. "They have been playing hard the last three weeks. It was nice to come out on top for a change. We're still not where we want to be."
NOTES: Safety Gehrig Tucker missed the game with a concussion, and Thurman started in his place ... McQueen inducted legendary coach Ken Dalton in to its Hall of Fame prior to the game. Many of his former players came on to the field to participate in the ceremony.
