The Carey School football team has a clear goal and can determine its own destiny heading into the final two Sawtooth Conference West games of the season—both in Carey.
"We have to win the next two games to win the conference championship," said Panther coach Lane Kirkland.
Carey (5-1, 2-0 league) dropped from second to fifth in the Idahosports.com 1A Division 2 state rankings following its 50-14 road loss to top-ranked Mackay (6-0, 2-0 Sawtooth Conference East) last Wednesday.
Mackay, Salmon River (6-0), defending state champion Horseshoe Bend (6-1) and Notus (6-1) are now ahead of Carey.
But the Panthers can nail down the Sawtooth West title, earn a state playoff berth and claim homefield advantage in the first and second rounds of the State 1A Division 2 playoffs with victories over Murtaugh and Dietrich Oct. 14 and 21.
Both home games will be played at Derrick Parke Memorial Field starting at 7 p.m.
This Friday, Carey will play a Murtaugh squad (2-4, 1-0 league) that won at home over Dietrich 52-39 but lost 46-18 at home to Sho-Ban last Friday.
The Red Devils boast a "stout, strong running back," in 180-pound senior Eli Anderson, Kirkland said. But injuries have forced Murtaugh to use its best receiver, Jose Saucedo, as the team's quarterback, he added. "We'll have to key on Saucedo and Andersen out of the backfield," Kirkland said.
Murtaugh's players are bigger than Carey's players in the line, but the Panthers are used to the size disadvantage. But they're not used to playing this season without their leading receiver, junior Brad Hunt.
Hunt injured his kneecap playing against Mackay last Wednesday and will be lost for the season, although there doesn't seem to be any ligament or cartilage damage, Kirkland said. "It's a big loss. Brad knew how to get open and how to read the defenses. He has over 500 yards receiving for us."
If previous games against Murtaugh are any indication, Carey will run the ball. The Panthers rushed for 342 yards in last year's 38-30 victory at Murtaugh, added 419 rushing yards in their 38-12 home win over Murtaugh in 2002, and had 312 rushing yards in their 62-14 victory at Murtaugh in 2001.
The only time Murtaugh has beaten Carey was 27-24 in 1991.
Dietrich (4-3, 1-1 league) has a bye this week before coming to Carey Oct. 21. Meanwhile, the likely Sawtooth West runner-up team is Camas County (4-2, 0-1 league). The Mushers won 34-28 at North Gem Oct. 5.
With wins over Murtaugh and Dietrich, the Panthers would most likely host North Gem (4-1, 2-0 Sawtooth East) in the first round of the playoffs Nov. 4. Mackay could host Camas in the other quarterfinal, then the semi-final contest would be at Carey Nov. 11—if Carey beats North Gem.
Last Wednesday, shifty Mackay senior running back Matt Tillotson (20 carries for 226 yards) picked his way through Carey's defense for 391 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns in Mackay's 50-14 eight-man grid triumph.
Mackay 50, Carey 14
CAREY. 0 0 0 14 14
MACKAY 8 16 20 6 50
SCORING
1st half
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 9-yard run (Tillotson run); 3:04 1st (8-0 M)
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 31-yard run (Levi Donahue, pass from Kelvin Krosch); 5:27 2nd (16-0 M)
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 7-yard run (Tillotson run); 1:29 2nd (24-0 M)
2nd half
MACKAY—Levi Donahue, blocked punt and recovery in end zone (run failed); 6:50 3rd (30-0 M)
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 76-yard punt return (Donahue, pass from Krosch); 3:30 3rd (38-0 M)
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 40-yard run (pass failed); 0:59 3rd (44-0 M)
CAREY—Connor Rivera, 1-yard run (pass failed); 10:09 4th (44-6 M)
MACKAY—Matt Tillotson, 58-yard run (pass failed); 8:35 4th (50-6 M)
CAREY—Tyler Cook, 1-yard run (Bryan Hill, pass from Cook); 0:14 4th (50-14 M)
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KEY STATS
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CAREY
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MACKAY
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|
Offensive plays
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80
|
63
|
|
Time of possession
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24:53
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23:07
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|
1st downs, rush
|
7
|
9
|
|
1st downs, pass
|
2
|
1
|
|
1st downs, penalty
|
1
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0
|
|
1st downs, total
|
10
|
10
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Rushes, yards
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39-229
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44-326
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Yards per carry
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5.9
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7.4
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Fumbles lost
|
2
|
1
|
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Completions, passes
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9-23
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3-8
|
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Completion percentage
|
40%
|
38%
|
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Passing yards
|
55
|
25
|
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Yards per completion
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6.1
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8.3
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Intercepted by
|
1
|
2
|
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Sacks by, yards
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3-25
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2-18
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Returns, yards
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9-170
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8-179
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Total yards gained
|
436
|
505
|
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Penalties
|
5-43
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5-50
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Punts, yardage
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7-164
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4-117
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Yards per punt
|
23.4
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29.3
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|
Blocked punts
|
0
|
1
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INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Carey
Rushing—Connor Rivera 19-120 (6.3 per carry), 4 1sts, 1 TD; Cody Baird 12-39, 2 1sts; Tyler Cook 8-70, 1 1st, 1 TD.
Passing—Tyler Cook 9-23, 55 yards, 2 1sts, 1 conv., 2 interceptions.
Receiving—Bryan Hill 4-15, 1 1st, 1 conv.; Cody Baird 4-35, 1 1st; Brad Hunt 1-5.
Fumble recoveries (1)—Tadd Green 1.
Interceptions (1)—Brad Hunt 1 with 25-yard return.
Sacks (3)—Allen Peck and Bryan Hill 1-5; Tadd Green 1-7; Bryan Hill 1-13.
Kickoff returns—Cody Baird 5-104; Scott Ellsworth 1-16.
Punt returns—Cody Baird 2-25.
All-purpose yardage—Cody Baird 203, Tyler Cook 125, Connor Rivera 120.
Tackles (78)—Allen Peck 13, Luke Harmon 11, Bryan Hill 10, Cody Baird 9, Tadd Green 7, Tyler Cook 7, Connor Rivera 5, Brad Hunt 4, Jesus Ocampo 4, Nathan Foster 3, Blake Whitby 2, D.J. Simpson 2, Scott Ellsworth 1.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Mackay
Rushing—Matt Tillotson 20-226 (11.3 per carry), 5 1sts, 5 TD, 2 conv.; Kelvin Krosch 10-64, 3 1sts; Kolton Kimball 9-21, 1 1st; Jake Gillish 5-15.
Passing—Kelvin Krosch 3-8, 25 yards, 1 1st, 1 conv. 1 interception.
Receiving—Alex Damiana 1-18, 1 1st; Levi Donahue 1-3, 1 conv.; Matt Tillotson 1-4.
Fumble recoveries (2)—Bryan Ainsley 1, Hadley Clark 1.
Interceptions (2)—Bryan Ainsley 1 with 12-yard return; Matt Tillotson 1 with 11-yard return.
Sacks (2)—Levi Donahue 1-10; Josh Hannah and Hadley Clark 1-8.
Kickoff returns—Kelvin Krosch 1-10; Levi Donahue 1-6.
Punt returns—Matt Tillotson 4-150 including a 76-yard TD return.
All-purpose yardage—Matt Tillotson 391.
Tackle leaders—Matt Tillotson 12, Kolton Kimball 12, Hadley Clark 11, Levi Donahue 8, Kelvin Krosch 7, Josh Hannah 5, Bryan Ainsley 5, Alex Damiana 3, Caleb Gaddis 3, Devin Pearson 2, Mitchell Aynaga 2.
