For the week of November 13 - 19, 2002

Notus, Carey battle down to the wire

But Pirates (10-0) end 
Panther season 30-22

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By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

Football fans saw an exciting, down-to-the-wire battle featuring 1,050 total yards when the Carey Panthers and Notus Pirates battled Saturday at Notus in a State 1A eight-man football quarterfinal contest.

Carey (8-2) scored first in the seesaw offensive display, but the Panthers couldn’t stop the 222-yard passing attack of Notus (10-0) and the Pirates scored last for the 30-22 victory. Carey amassed 363 rushing yards but couldn’t get its own aerial attack in gear.

Star of the game was Notus senior quarterback/linebacker Micheal Burdine (279 all-purpose yards). Burdine rushed for 83 yards including a 46-yard touchdown, completed eight passes for 128 yards and two TD and made 11 of his 19 tackles after half.

Notus, beating Carey for the first time in four state playoff clashes, earned the dubious distinction of playing Castleford (10-0) in the state semi-finals this weekend.

"It was a close game," said Carey coach Lane Kirkland. "I thought we fought as hard as could fight. We didn’t give up whatsover, and I’m really proud of that."

Notus scored five touchdowns to Carey’s three, but the Pirates missed all five of their two-point conversions due to Carey’s tough defense led by seniors Destry Simpson and Kole Peck.

"Kole gave everything he had," Kirkland said.

Playing a brave all-around game was power runner Simpson, who hadn’t carried the ball for five weeks because of a gimpy knee. Simpson rushed for 121 yards, scored a touchdown and made a team-high 19 tackles on defense.

He also personally stopped three Pirate conversions, and intercepted a pass.

"Destry was dog tired but he ran hard," said Kirkland.

Top Carey scorer Shawn Hennefer (110 points) led the Panthers with 133 rushing and 210 all-purpose yards plus 13 tackles. Robbie Ellsworth, also a Panther senior, had 97 rushing yards and 13 tackles.

Physically, Notus was taller and bigger than Carey. It caused problems for the Panther passers who were intercepted four times. Kirkland said, "We had some difficulty with as far back as they were playing on defense, and how tall they were."

Actually, both teams had difficulty with turnovers in the sloppy first quarter (Notus three fumbles lost, Carey two interceptions). Carey’s defense held Notus’ rushers to just 35 yards in the first quarter, but the Pirates started establishing their passing attack with quick outs and timing throws.

Hennefer caught an 18-yard pass from Sean Cenarrusa and scored on a four-yard counter giving Carey a 16-12 lead early in the second. Four plays later Burdine scrambled for a 46-yard TD and the Pirates went on top to stay 18-16.

"Our defense gave up some big plays," said Kirkland. "But it was the kind of game that never came down to one play making the difference."

Notus’ defense made the biggest difference—stopping Carey drives at the Pirate 14 and 23 in the second quarter, and three more drives at the 32, 20 and 31 in the second half. Untimely penalties hurt a couple of those Carey chances.

"Oh, those penalties," said Kirkland. "It’s hard to make the right offensive call when you’re forced into a passing situation."

Burdine also made the difference with two huge pass plays, to Andrew Porterfield.

The first was a perfect 31-yard lead pass to Porterfield, on third-and-seven at the Panther 43. Cody Dranginis scored on the next play giving Notus a 24-16 lead.

After Simpson’s 36-yard punt return early in the fourth set up a short Carey TD drive capped by Simpson’s seven-yard end run for a 24-22 game, Carey missed the two-point conversion that would have tied it with 8:30 left.

Carey’s defense appeared to have stopped Notus, forcing fourth-and-nine at the Panther 38. Then, as Carey blitzed its backers, it was Burdine-to-Porterfield again, a perfect lead pass that Porterfield ran under for the clinching 38-yard TD.

The Panthers were disappointed, but coach Kirkland put it in perspective.

He said, "It’s been an extremely positive season. This group (of nine seniors) essentially has been seniors for two years. They’ve grown up a lot, matured and helped the underclassmen to develop."

Check this week’s Express Web site for Carey season stats.

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PANTHER NOTES—Simpson and Hennefer were honored Monday as a local television station’s "Co-Athletes of the Week."…All-Sawtooth Conference selections will be announced after the Nov. 25 league meeting….Carey played Bryson Ellsworth on defense, only, and Ellsworth responded with 10 tackles. Stephen Jurgensmeier took Bryson’s place on the offensive line.

Compared to last year’s stats, Carey rushed for 370 more yards but passed for 360 fewer yards….Over two years Hennefer rushed 255 times for 1,693 yards, and Simpson 164 times for 1,267 yards. Top two-year receivers were John Saili 58-893 and 10 TD, Robbie Ellsworth 46-434 and 5 TD, Simpson 36-491 and 6 TD.

Hennefer ended his four-year Carey career with 40 TDs and 11 conversions for 262 points. Simpson had 28 TDs and 5 conversions for 178 points, and Robbie Ellsworth 19 TDs and 11 conversions for 136 points. The trio scored 71% of Carey’s points the last two seasons, helping the Panthers to a 15-4 record.

The eight-point margin was identical to the margins of Carey’s victories the other two times the teams played at Notus. Carey had never lost to Notus. In 1992, Carey won 38-30 in a state semi-final at Notus, then Carey lost 30-16 to Council in the state final in Pocatello. In 1993 at Notus, Carey won 26-18 and went on to lose the next week to Deary 36-22 in the state final in Moscow. The next year, 1994, Carey routed Notus 40-14 indoors at Pocatello and the next week beat Deary 58-26 for its first-ever state championship.

 

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