Carson High needs another solid effort vs. Galena

Based on its effort against Spanish Springs, the Carson High football team definitely has something to build on.

The challenge, though, is can the Senators (1-4) sustain the kind of effort they had against the Cougars when they host Galena at 7 p.m. Friday in their Sierra League opener.

Comparative scores would seem to suggest they can. While Carson fell to Spanish Springs 35-14, the Grizzlies were shut out by the Cougars 40-0.

But then again, Galena played Reed tough in a 20-7 loss while Carson played poorly against the Raiders in a 55-21 loss.

“It’s just so hard to say,” said Carson coach Blair Roman about comparative scores as a barometer. “They played Reed a lot tougher than we did.

“We probably played Spanish Springs a lot better than they did.”

So Roman is obviously telling his team this is a game it can win. But he added, “They’re telling their kids the same thing.”

But after subpar performances against McQueen and Reed, Roman was encouraged by his team’s effort against Spanish Springs.

“They’re as good as Reed or McQueen, maybe better,” Roman said. “They are three pretty equal teams.”

“The big thing last week that was positive was we were in a ball game,” added Roman about last week’s game in which Carson trailed the Cougars 14-7 midway through the third quarter. “We got a great effort. That was a positive step.”

But Roman said the question will be if his team can put forth a similar effort again this Friday. So the obvious mantra is “I think the big thing is to worry about ourselves.”

Galena has played a brutal schedule and along with playing Reed tough it also played Reno tough in a 28-7 loss. The Grizzlies’ other losses came to Foothill of Henderson (49-0) and Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa (44-0).

Roman said both his team and Galena are going through growing pains. He said Galena is the youngest team in the Sierra League while his team is the second youngest team in the league.

Galena has an outstanding running back in Michael Dennis, who Roman referred to as a downhill runner. Dennis also plays middle linebacker.

Roman said he has also been impressed by the play of Galena’s free safety. “A very impressive athlete,” he said. “He comes up and fills really well on the run.”

Roman said the key will be to finish drives against Galena. Against Spanish Springs, the Senators failed to take advantage of excellent field position, including twice after Jeremy Heaton intercepted two passes.

“Offensively we have to got to finish drives,” Roman said. “I feel like we left a few points on the field.”

Carson didn’t turn the ball over last week and that will obviously have to continue, Roman said.

But Roman said the Senators can’t allow any more big plays. Last week, Spanish Springs scored on a long touchdown pass on its third play of the game.