For the week of  October 31 - November 6, 2001

Carey makes state playoffs, pounds Red Devils 62-14

Panthers travel to Castleford Friday

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The Carey School Panthers (7-1) took care of business in a convincing way Friday, amassing nine touchdowns in a 62-14 Sawtooth Conference eight-man football victory over the host Murtaugh Red Devils.

With the 48-point triumph, coach Lane Kirkland’s Panthers clinched third place in the Sawtooth Conference North-South playoffs and earned a berth in the eight-team State A-1 football playoffs starting Friday, Nov. 2.

It will be Carey’s ninth trip to the state football playoffs in the past 11 years.

Carey plays at Sawtooth champion Castleford (8-0, 28-2 three seasons) Friday at 6 p.m.

At Murtaugh, junior Shawn Hennefer (291 all-purpose yards) rushed for 191 yards and scored five touchdowns as Carey’s 559-yard offense was hitting on all cylinders. Junior quarterback Sean Cenarrusa (15-of-23 for 139 yards) guided the Panther aerial attack.

On the receiving end, John Saili caught seven passes for 92 yards. Defensively, Destry Simpson (14 tackles, an interception and fumble recovery), Seth Adamson (11 tackles) and Stephen Jurgensmeier (11) led the way, and Carey had seven sacks.

The yardage totals and 76 points scored were even more impressive considering the teams played only 37 of 48 minutes because of the 45-point mercy rule—and they played on Murtaugh’s band-box 80-yard field.

Murtaugh (3-6, 36.0 ppg offense) was limited to its lowest point total as Carey’s defense rose to the occasion, holding the Red Devil running attack to 185 yards. Colby Dennis (101 yards) had many of those yards on a third-quarter 60-yard TD gallop.

Carey waited only two minutes to score its first touchdown Friday.

After a low Murtaugh punt snap and 18-yard Jurgensmeier sack, Carey (41.5 ppg) took over at the Red Devil six-yard-line and Hennefer (a team-high 17 TDs and 106 points for the season) plunged for his first score.

Hennefer connected with Saili on the halfback option pass for a 25-yard TD five minutes into the game.

A 31-yard end run by Robbie Ellsworth set up Carey’s third score—a quick out from Cenarrusa that Stephen Jurgensmeier turned into a 29-yard adventure. He shed a Devil tackler at the 15-yard-line and fell on his own fumble in the end zone.

Trailing 22-0, Murtaugh threatened early in the second quarter. Bryce Dennis’ 72-yard kickoff return went all the way to the Panther three-yard-line where Hennefer brought him down with a TD-saving tackle.

Carey’s defense stood tall. Hennefer tackled Colby Dennis for a two-yard loss on an end run. Kole Peck and Bryson Ellsworth stuffed a QB sneak, then Hennefer and Simpson stopped Colby Dennis’ progress just short of the goal line.

On fourth-and-inches, Adamson made an outstanding open-field tackle to stop Colby Dennis at the Carey one-yard-line. Disappointed, Murtaugh led Hennefer slip away for a 64-yard run, then Hennefer slashed over right guard for his second TD.

Cenarrusa, who threw for four conversions, hit Saili for the two-pointer that gave Carey a 30-0 lead.

QB sacks by Saili and Peck gave the Panthers one more offensive chance with three seconds left before half-time. Hennefer made the most of it with a two-yard TD run and Carey’s lead grew to 38-6 when Cenarrusa found Simpson for two points.

Carey went to a little more misdirection in the second half. Robbie Ellsworth’s 31-yard kickoff return brought the ball out to the 35. From there, Hennefer ran the counter for a 45-yard TD and a 44-6 cushion.

A hard tackle by Robbie Ellsworth forced a fumble that Simpson recovered at the Red Devil 36. Hennefer dashed 24 yards on another counter play, then Simpson scored the first of his two second-half TDs to put the game out of reach at 50-6 with only two minutes gone in the period.

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PANTHER NOTES—Lineman Kole Peck reinjured his left knee in the second half of Friday’s game against Murtaugh and is questionable for the Castleford game.

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