High school football: Carson hopeful after routing East 47-10
Published 11:22 pm Friday, October 14, 2022
East Rowan's marching band performs in the stands Friday night during the game against Carson. JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson’s Foday Dyer (2) celebrates. East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson Jordan Galazra (3) and East Rowan’s Gaven Trexler (8). East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Head coach John Fitz. East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson quarterback Michael Guiton (16) and East Rowan’s free safety Jaquare Jones (1) and Josh Roman-Soto (10). . East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson high student section tosses the powder after a touchdown. East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
East Rowan’s Ty Danzine (3). East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson’s Emory Taylor (10) and East Rowan’s Jaden Reid (44). East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson’s Tristen McBride (58) wraps up East Rowan quarterback Gavin Walker (14). East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
Carson’s Emory Taylor (10) returns a punt. East Rowan high school varsity football team hosted Jesse Carson high school. . JON C LAKEY / FOR THE SALISBURY POST. 10/14/22, Salisbury,NC.
By David Shaw
For the Salisbury Post
GRANITE QUARRY — Carson’s football team gave its trustworthy fan base plenty of reasons to stick around Friday night.
The Cougars provided more than just a convincing SPC victory at East Rowan. They provided hope.
“If we win out, we can still get in the playoffs,” senior right tackle Tristan Ruhnow said, moments after CHS pocketed a 47-10 win. “And that’s what we’re after. It feels amazing to win like this. We were dominant. It shows we’re coming together and growing as a team.”
Carson (3-5, 2-2 SPC) believes it can win its last two games at home and shoehorn its way into the 32-team 3A West bracket. “What it boils down to,” said winning coach Jonathan Lowe, “was the boys’ effort. We got off to a slow start, but the fact that we were able to finish strong gives us confidence for next week.”
They’ll soldier on after forcing four turnovers, blocking three punts and amassing 423 total yards against East (0-8, 0-4). Junior quarterback Michael Guiton completed 15 of 23 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Senior wideout Emory Taylor made eight receptions for 162 yards and made three end zone appearances. And the Carson defense limited East to 186 total yards — with just 32 rushing.
“We are 100 percent ready for next week,” Taylor beamed after Carson improved to 3-2 on the road. “Our goal right now is 5-5, make the playoffs and go from there. But this we couldn’t have done without the offensive line, the backs and everybody else.”
As odd as it sounds, the Cougars had to come from behind to win this one. East took a 3-0 lead when kicker Carter Honeycutt booted a 30-yard field goal with 5:24 remaining in the first quarter. CHS counter-punched by scoring four touchdowns in the second period — included were Guiton TD throws to Taylor and CJ Guida — and building a 26-10 halftime advantage.
“I feel like these kids deserve to win,” East coach John Fitz said after the Mustangs suffered their 16th loss in 17 games, dating to last season. “When you work as hard as we do, you deserve it.”
Carson knows how that feels. From 2006-08 the Cougars dropped 30 of the first 33 decisions in school history. But against East, all the losing was forgotten.
“They’re very well-coached,” said Lowe, a 2012 East graduate. “They came out and kind of hit us in the mouth, made us take a step back. Then when No. 11 (East wideout Morgan Padgett) got ejected, obviously that played in our favor. He’s one of their best players.”
Padgett, a 6-foot-4 senior, was sent to the locker room after making a fourth-down reception with 6:14 remaining in the second quarter. His departure forced East quarterback Gavin Walker (15-for-37 with two picks) to spread the ball around. Six different Mustangs made catches, led by senior Evan Porter (5 for 48 yards). “When people of his caliber get ejected or leave the team, then yeah, it effects all of us,” Fitz said. “Morgan is the best leader on this team.”
Without him, Carson allowed only 69 second-half yards and pulled away. First came Guiton’s 25-yard TD pass to Taylor with 6:38 remaining in the third stanza. Two minutes later — following an East three-and-out — the two hooked up again on a 52-yard touchdown play that made it 40-10.
“I’m so proud of Michael,” Lowe fawned. “I told him on Monday he’s got to start taking more hits. I said, ‘Man, you just can’t be throwing it out of bounds.’ So we called a play early in the second quarter and he took a hit right to the stomach. Threw up the next play. He came back in and said, ‘I’m good, Coach. I’m ready to roll.'”
The Cougars’ final score came after a blocked punt settled on the ER 9-yard line in the fourth quarter. Makani Guida took three straight handoffs and crossed the goal line on a 2-yard burst with 6:43 to play.
“In the second quarter we started speeding everything up,” said Guiton. “I don’t think their defense was ready for that. Once we figured out what plays were working, there was no stopping us.”
Taylor echoed that sentiment. “We pulled it together and flipped the switch,” he said. “No stopping us after that.”
Added Ruhnow: “The coaches asked a lot of us tonight and we delivered.”
Now they need to deliver a postseason berth.
“What this win means,” Lowe explained afterward, “is that we need to win the next one. If we continue doing this, we’ll have an opportunity to play on. I always loved playing here — it’s a great school. But I’m glad I bleed orange now.”
NOTES: Two Carson starters, left guard Bryson Bare and receiver Jay Howard, missed the game with injuries. Teammate Jordan Galarza (13 carries/85 yards/ 2 TDs) was the game’s top rusher. … Easton Mullis and Kody Samples had interceptions for the Cougars. Teammates Foday Dyer and Trevor Vaughn recovered fumbles. Carson did not have a turnover. … Walker hit wide-open receiver AJ Goodman with a 31-yard TD pass that drew East within 14-10 with 5:17 left in the first half. … East closes its season with road games at South Rowan next Friday and at West Rowan on Oct. 28. Carson hosts Central Cabarrus next week and South Rowan in Week 11.
Carson 0 26 14 7 — 47
East Rowan 3 7 0 0 — 10
ER — Honeycutt FG 30, 5:24 1st
CAR — Galarza 5 run (Avilez kick), 7:30 2nd
CAR — Taylor 39 pass from Guiton (Avilez kick), 5:44 2nd
ER — Goodman 31 pass from Walker (Honeycutt kick), 5:17 2nd
CAR — Galarza 2 run (kick failed), 1:44 2nd
CAR — C.Guida 6 pass from Guiton (kick failed), 0:35 2nd
CAR — Taylor 25 pass from Guiton (Avilez kick), 6:38 3rd
CAR — Taylor 52 pass from Guiton (Avilez kick), 4:35 3rd
CAR — M.Guida 2 run (Avilez kick), 6:43 4th
Team Stats CAR ER
First downs 16 12
Rushes-yards 34-157 20-32
Passing 15-25-0 16-38-2
Passing yards 266 154
Penalties 12-122 12-93
Punts 4-32.8 2-33
Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-2
Individual Stats
Rushing — CAR: Galarza 13-85; McGruder 14-55; Guiton 3-10; M.Guida 4-7. ER: Hill 5-21; Danzine 7-18; Tate 1-1; Walker 7-(minus 8).
Passing — CAR: Guiton 15-23-0, 266; Taylor 0-1-0; C.Guida 0-1-0. ER: Walker 15-37-2, 148; Roman-Soto 1-1-0, 6.
Receiving — CAR: Taylor 8-162; C.Guida 5-81; Hinson 2-23. ER: Porter 5-48; Eagle 3-41; Hill 3-15; Goodman 2-36; Danzine 2-8; Padgett 1-6.
