The curtain closed on another season of Carson High football Friday night, and unfortunately it closed with a thud.
Though the 56-28 loss to Reed was tough to swallow for anybody associated with Carson football, it was still a very, very, very good season. A 10-2 record is nothing to sneeze at.
When you can put up 10 wins in a single season, you have done something special. Reed is the only team Carson has been unable to solve on a regular basis. Quite simply, the Raiders’ offense gives Carson fits.
Reed is to the northern part of the state what my alma mater, De La Salle, is to Northern California. Both lose infrequently, and there never seems to be a drop-off in talent. Reed has now won five straight regional titles, and while I think the Raiders are nowhere near the level of Bishop Gorman, they are a great program.
Reed coach Ernie Howren, like Carson’s Blair Roman, is a class act, too. The two coaches have a healthy respect for each other. The Reed-Carson rivalry is a good one. Unfortunately, the Senators haven’t been able to taste success as often as they would like in the head-to-head battles. There’s no shame in being the second-best football program in Northern Nevada, however.
The Senators have come a long way since the 2008 season when they were 3-7 in Roman’s first year. They have become the dominant team in the Sierra League, and only once missed the league playoffs since Roman’s first season.
Carson’s program should be defined by its overall success, not its 0-5 record in regional championship games. Overall success is the only fair way to evaluate a program. I know how hard these coaches work, so I know they are just as frustrated as the players by not winning that elusive regional championship.
Another thing that I took away from Friday’s game was the post-game actions by both teams. There was no trash talking, no finger pointing. Players from each team took pictures with each other and congratulated each other. Carson’s Caulin Bartley and Reed’s Jorden Carter are friends, and Carter’s family snapped a picture of the rivals. There were a few tears and a few bowed heads in the CHS circle, but there was also looks of admiration, too. The Carson kids know and understand what it takes to win, and kids can respect the efforts of their opponents.
One of these days, Carson is going to beat Reed again in a meaningful playoff game. I hope I’m around to see it.
No disrespect to the other football programs in Northern Nevada, but if I’m Carson, I figure out a way to defend the Raiders even if it takes the entire off-season. Carson has shown it can shut down the other teams and score enough points to win against those teams, but Reed remains a mystery despite the fact it isn’t doing anything different since Howren took over.
Roman said it best.
“We’re a good offensive team, but they are a great offensive team,” he told reporters after the loss Friday.
When teams have faced Reed, it’s about picking your poison.
Nobody has ever been able to shut the Raiders down completely.
Reno did a nice job in a 27-11 game this year. Carson did a helluva job in last year’s regional championship game (28-25 loss). Reed has so many weapons and adjusts so well. Take quarterback Matt Denn away and running back Jorden Carter gashes you to death. Pack in the box, and the Raiders attack you with quick screens or bombs downfield which was the case Friday.
Those screen passes averaged between 10-12 yards per attempt. The Raiders are the complete offensive package. One of the biggest reason for their offensive success is the Raiders have always had big, talented linemen. Several have gone on to play Division I football in recent years, and on Friday, they controlled Carson’s defensive front which was without junior stalwart Sheldon Miller.
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This group was a fun one to cover; a fun one to be around. From the coaches to the players, they have been giving of their time this season, and I do appreciate it much.
It’s always tough to say goodbye to seniors, and this team had some special ones. I’ve been impressed not only by their athletic abilities, but by them as people. There’s certainly a lot more to these seniors than football, and they have demonstrated that to me time and again. This group seemed to know when to have fun and when it was time to work.
I especially enjoyed watching the three-year development of Asa Carter, who’s far and away the best athlete at CHS. It isn’t often you see a sophomore come in and contribute so heavily on both sides of the ball like he did. I like his humbleness. he knew he was good, but he wasn’t always telling everybody he was good, and he’s receptive to coaching which isn’t the case with a lot of good athletes.
