RENO — Carson High football coach Blair Roman didn’t spend a ton of time talking to his team after Friday’s night’s win over North Valleys
He didn’t need to.
The Senators put on another dominating offensive performance, and the defense played its best game of the year, and the result was a 56-0 demolition of winless North Valleys.
The game was played in running time the final 3-plus minutes of the first half and the entire second half after Carson built a 35-0 lead.
Carson finished its nonleague schedule with a 3-2 record heading into next Friday’s Sierra League opener and Homecoming game against the Galena Grizzlies.
The Senators, led by Abel Carter’s 163-yard rushing effort, finished with 444 yards total offense. Carson held North Valleys to just 61 total yards on 26 snaps.
“I was super impressed with our defense tonight,” Roman said. “It could have been easy to come on the road and not play your best. I feel like we’re headed in the right direction.
“The most important game of the season is next week’s game against Galena. We want to be 1-0 at the end of next week.”
And, if the Senators continue to execute offensively like they have the past three games (Reed, McQueen and North Valleys) the chances are pretty high they will win.
Carson, thanks to the efforts of linemen Bryceton Schilling, Sheldon Miller, Blaise Bonomo, Brandon Macias, Dallin Shafer and tight end Josh Thompson, has gained 1,063 yards on the ground in the last three week with Carter, of course, and Keema doing the bulk of the damage.
Carter, who scored on runs on 51, 6 and 36, continues to amaze with his vision and ability to make defenders at the second and third level miss.
He set the tone early, breaking off the 51-yarder on Carson’s second play from scrimmage. Johnny Barahona’s PAT made it 7-0 with 8:30 left in the opening quarter.
“It was just a fly (sweep),” Carter said. “The line did a great job and Tyler hooked his guy so I could get outside.”
After a second three and out, Carson took over at its own 46 following a 30-yard punt.
This time it took four plays to score. Jace Keema converted a third-and-4 situation with a 14-yard run down to the Panthers’ 34, and on the next play lofted a TD pass to a wide-open Tyler Huling. The PAT made it 14-0 with 5:26 remaining.
North Valleys clearly showed its frustration on the ensuing drive when it wasted a 46-yard kick-off return. On fourth and 9, the Panthers went for it from the Carson 48, and NV quarterback Matt Sneed was thrown for a 7-yard loss by Liam Desormier.
The Senators didn’t waste the short field, driving 55 yards in three plays with Keema scoring from the 2 to make it 21-0 with 2:18 left. The big play on the drive was a 49-yard pass to Terin Keller, who was dragged down at the 1. It was Keller’s first catch of the season.
A blocked punt by Jesse Case set up Carson’s next score, a bruising 6-yard run by Carter on the first play of the second quarter. Barahona’s PAT made it 28-0.
On the ensuring drive, NV drove to the Carson 44 thanks to a Carson penalty, but was forced to punt.
Carter broke off a 69-yard TD run, but it was called back on a holding penalty. It didn’t matter. The talented junior broke off runs of 15 and 38 to get the ball down to the NV 10.
Keema carried the ball down to the 5, and then connected with Cole Porter in the back of the end zone. Porter had entered the game just moments before the play.
“It felt awesome,” Porter said when asked how his first varsity TD felt.
The Senators were efficient scoring 35 points on 19 offensive snaps in the first half.
The second half consisted of one more Carter TD run and two by Kyle Ruedy.
The more Roman sees Carter, the more he’s reminded of former CHS running back Dylan Sawyers.
“They are very similar,” Roman said. “They both see the field very well, and that is the sign of a great back.”
“I think the longer and more you play, you know where the (cutback) lanes are going to be,” Carter said. “Our offensive line does a great job.”
