Darrell Moody: Carson High, Carson Pop Warner team up

Carson High football coach Blair Roman was looking for a way to get eighth-graders indoctrinated into his high school program.

And, he has partnered with Carson City Pop Warner and four former Carson High players to accomplish it.

Carson Pop Warner will have an unlimited team made up of eighth graders 105 pounds and up this fall. And, Roman has recruited Justin Shine as head coach, and Dilyn Rooker, Nick Redwine and Justin Barlow as assistant coaches.

“I look at eighth graders as the lifeblood of the program,” Roman said. “We want to get as many eighth graders playing together and learning our philosophy and playing in our system. I probably should have done this a couple of years ago.”

Former Nevada Union coach, Dave Humphers, had the entire youth football team running his offense. It makes sense. It makes for a seamless transition from youth football to high school football.

How much of Carson’s offense and defense gets taught will depend on the players themselves; how much they absorb.

“The group that had (Garrett) Schafer in it had a very high football IQ,” Roman said. The coach said other teams haven’t been able to grasp as much.

Roman, who had a chance to watch Shine work with the wrestling team, is happy the former CHS wrestling and football star was able to take the reins.

“I thought about Nick and Dilyn from the get go,” Roman said. “I was looking for a head coach. This worked out well with Justin’s work schedule, and I couldn’t be happier.

“Justin is so good with kids. He does a super job with the wrestling program. His demeanor is awesome. He will do things the right way.”

Redwine was a standout lineman as was Barlow, and Rooker proved himself to be one of the smartest players in Roman’s tenure as head coach at Carson. He spent some time this past season as an assistant coach on the CHS JV squad.

“Justin (Barlow) lives in Reno, and hopefully the time commitment can be worked out,” Roman said.

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The Kings said good-bye to Sleep Train/Arco Arena this weekend. Next year, the Kings will play in a new downtown arena. I’m glad to see the Kings get their new arena, but having lived in Sacramento for three years, I can only imagine the nightmare traffic jams on game nights.

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I wonder if LA manager Dave Roberts was really telling the truth when he said yanking his rookie pitcher Ross Stripling at 100 pitches had already been determined despite the fact he had a no-hitter. I realize he was coming off Tommy John surgery, but let him stay until he gives up a hit, or at least finishes the ninth inning.