Crisp blocking, strong running and fumble-free football were big factors Friday night in Carey High School's 36-14 home eight-man football triumph over Hagerman's Pirates at Derrick Parke Memorial Field.
Senior tailback Gonzalo Zarate (17 carries for 147 yards) and senior quarterback Trevor Peck (70 yards rushing, 71 yards passing) each scored twice as Carey (1-0) made it 13 straight victories and 10 consecutive home wins since 2008.
The host Panthers scored twice on lengthy drives in the first half and capitalized on the only Pirates' turnover of the game for a third score and a 22-6 halftime lead. After Hagerman cut its deficit to 22-14, Carey's running game put together two other long drives and salted it away 36-14.
A big part of the victory was the veteran Panther offensive line that realized its capabilities and took the bull by the horns. Carey coach Lane Kirkland said, "I'm real proud of the line. On several occasions they said, 'let's go here,' and 'let's go to my side.' They believed in each other."
In his first varsity start, junior Antonio Gamino showed the leadership abilities of a relative of his, last year's Carey star Heith Adamson. Gamino rushed 16 times for 82 tough yards, got better as the game went along, set smashing blocks himself and led the defense with 11 tackles.
Coach Kirkland said, "Antonio is related to Heith and it shows in the way they both play. Heith and Antonio give nothing but all they can give when they're out on the field."
On a warm night the Panthers out-rushed Hagerman 306-97, amassed 16 first downs to just seven for the Pirates, and ended up with a 416-215 advantage in total yardage. The home team had three sacks. Carey's kickoff and punt returns weren't great, but Gonzalo Zarate's bouncing kickoffs kept Hagerman from getting good field position.
And Carey's defense led by Gamino, Dillon Simpson (9 tackles), Trevor Peck (9 tackles, 1 huge interception) and Wacey Barg (6 tackles) pretty much contained Hagerman's fine senior QB Dylan Brooks (9-for-20, 74 yards, 6 rushing yards).
The Panther defense set the tone in the first 12 minutes when it held the Pirates without a first down. As it turned out, Carey out-gained Hagerman 122-5 in the first period.
Kirkland said, "I thought Hagerman's backs (Jace) Kast and (Talyn) Henslee really stepped it up for them. But it was a great thing for our defense that Brooks couldn't complete any long passes behind us. That showed how far we've come there."
Hagerman was no pushover.
The Pirates were large across the line and boasted quick and elusive players in the skill positions. A bigger Division 1 school Hagerman (20-9 over 3 seasons) hadn't lost to a 1A Division 2 team and hadn't dropped a season opener since Carey beat the host Pirates 50-22 back in 2005.
Patience was a virtue for Carey's reigning State 1A Division 2 champs.
On Carey's third possession of the first quarter, the Panthers led by the crack-back blocks of senior Brett Adamson started getting Gamino free around left end, then Zarate busted a 33-yard gainer through a huge hole around right end. Once in the red zone, QB Peck took over—dumping off a nice lead pass to Wacey Barg for nine yards and rumbling six more yards behind center Blair Peck on a quarterback sneak.
Zarate scored his first TD from four yards out and converted, 8-0.
Hagerman answered Carey's 81-yard TD drive with an 11-play, 71-yard scoring drive of its own—but Carey's Dillon Simpson broke up Brooks' conversion pass attempt.
Carey replied with a 69-yard TD drive. On the first play Gamino's terrific block enabled QB Peck to dash 17 yards and Zarate dove twice for good yardage. On third-and-10, Peck threw down-and-out left for 18 yards to a wide-open Zarate. A nice 21-yard crossing pattern from Peck to Brett Adamson set up Peck's first of two TD plunges, 14-6 Carey.
It looked like the score would stay that way until halftime. But with less than a minute left, Trevor Peck intercepted a Brooks pass and returned it 32 yards to the Pirates five. Hagerman's defense stiffened, but Carey coach Kirkland saved his final time out for one more play on third-and-goal from the one-yard-line.
With 14 seconds remaining Peck plunged for the score and threw the conversion pass to Simpson. That made it 22-6. Carey was on its way.
This Friday, Carey will be on its way to Pocatello and beyond when the Panthers visit North Gem in Bancroft for the first Sawtooth Conference meeting of 2009. North Gem hasn't played yet. By the luck of the draw, it will be North Gem's third straight game played against Carey.
Last fall, host Carey beat North Gem 48-6 in the season finale and ousted North Gem 38-0 in the first round of the playoffs, at Carey. In 2007 Carey breezed 48-0 at North Gem, and also won 58-22 when the teams met in Carey in 2006. North Gem last beat Carey 48-44 in the 2005 league playoffs.
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CAREY Line Score
Carey 36, Hagerman 14
HAGERMAN 0 6 8 0 14
CAREY. 0 22 6 8 36
SCORING
1st half
CAREY—Gonzalo Zarate, 4-yard run (Zarate run); 11:38 2nd (8-0 C)
HAGERMAN—Talyn Henslee, 10-yard pass from Dylan Brooks (pass failed); 7:11 2nd (8-6 C)
CAREY—Trevor Peck, 1-yard run (pass failed); 4:27 2nd (14-6 C)
CAREY—Trevor Peck, 1-yard run (Dillon Simpson, pass from Peck); 0:12 2nd (22-6 C)
2nd half
HAGERMAN—Jace Kast, 6-yard run (Talyn Henslee run); 5:20 3rd (22-14 C)
CAREY—Antonio Gamino, 3-yard run (pass failed); 0:00 3rd (28-14 C)
CAREY—Gonzalo Zarate, 28-yard run (Trevor Peck run); 3:30 4th (36-14 C)
KEY STATS HAGERMAN CAREY
Offensive plays 60 71
Time of possession 21:13 26:47
1st downs, rush 4 11
1st downs, pass 2 4
1st downs, penalty 1 1
1st downs, total 7 16
Rushes, yards 26-97 50-306
Yards per carry 3.7 6.1
Fumbles lost 0 0
Completions, passes 9-20 7-15
Completion percentage 45% 47%
Passing yards 74 71
Yards per completion 8.2 10.1
Intercepted by 1 1
Sacks by, yards 0-0 3-17
Returns, yards 4-61 6-39
Total yards gained 215 416
Penalties 5-25 5-52
Punts, yardage 3-130 2-71
Yards per punt 43.3 35.5
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Carey
Rushing—Gonzalo Zarate 17-147 (8.7), 3 1sts, 2 TD, 1 conv.; Antonio Gamino 16-82, 5 1sts, 1 TD; Trevor Peck 14-70, 3 1sts, 2 TD, 1 conv.; Lynn Mecham 2-9; Shane Bingham 1, -2.
Passing—Trevor Peck 7-14, 71 yards, 4 1sts, 1 conv., 1 interception; Caleb Cenarrusa 0-1.
Receiving—Dillon Simpson 2-8, 1 conv.; Antonio Gamino 2-15, 2 1sts; Brett Adamson 1-21, 1 1st; Gonzalo Zarate 1-18, 1 1st; Wacey Barg 1-9.
Interceptions (1)—Trevor Peck 1 with a 32-yard return.
Sacks (3)—Gonzalo Zarate 1-6; Wacey Barg 1-5; Todd Peck and Brett Adamson 1-6.
Kickoff returns—Jacy Baird 1-10; Antonio Gamino 1-5; Gonzalo Zarate 1, -9.
Punt returns—Antonio Gamino 1-5.
Tackles (57)—Antonio Gamino 11, Dillon Simpson 9, Trevor Peck 9, Wacey Barg 6, Jacy Baird 5, Gonzalo Zarate 4, Tyler Chavez 4, Brett Adamson 3, Brandon Dilworth 2, Todd Peck 2, Glen Andrews 1, Charlie Rivera 1.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Hagerman
Rushing—Talyn Henslee 13-51, 3 1sts, 1 conv.; Jace Kast 7-40, 1 1st, 1 TD; Dylan Brooks 6-6.
Passing—Dylan Brooks 9-20, 74 yards, 2 1sts, 1 TD, 1 interception.
Receiving—Talyn Henslee 4-56, 2 1sts, 1 TD; Jace Kast 4-13; Clayton Cowell 1-5.
Interceptions (1)—Zach Reid 1.
Kickoff returns—Jace Kast 3-49; Zach Reid 1-12.
Tackles (67)—Talyn Henslee 14, Jason Smith 9, Justin Arriaga 9, Ryan Luttmer 6, Zach Reid 6, Dylan Brooks 5, Jace Kast 4, Clayton Colwell 4, Johnathan Owsley 3, Josh Douville 2, Joe Maxwell 2, Cody Henslee 2, Cody Mays 1.
The hard running of Carey School junior Antonio Gamino (right, following a block by Gonzalo Zarate) was a big factor in Carey’s 36-14 home victory over the Hagerman Pirates Friday at Derrick Parke Memorial Field. Photo by Willy Cook
