If you arrived a little late, you missed most of the scoring in Friday's 52-6 Carey Panthers eight-man football victory over the wounded Murtaugh Red Devils at Derrick Parke Memorial Field in Carey.
The reigning Idaho 1A Division 2 champion Panthers (3-0, 2-0 Sawtooth Conference) scored four touchdowns and built a 32-0 lead in the first five minutes and breezed to a 45-point mercy-rule win in a mismatch shortened to just a half.
Murtaugh (1-2, 0-2 league) suited up only 10 players, compared to Carey's roster of 32. The Red Devils were missing two key players in senior quarterback Zach Cummins (knee injury) and speedy soph Humberto Pacheco (wrist injury).
Listless, the Red Devils were out-rushed 121-25 and outgained 401-177. They turned the ball over to Carey three times on fumbles, two of those fumbles leading to Panther scores. The visitors yielded TDs on long punt and kickoff returns, and were sacked three times—once for a two-point safety and an 8-0 Carey lead.
Carey's starters didn't play much as coach Lane Kirkland's deep squad posted its 15th consecutive win over two seasons. Carey is now 27-0 in regular-season Sawtooth Conference league action since 2005.
The situation gave Carey's younger players a chance to log plenty of game time. Actually, it was a good week for the Panther junior varsity, which routed Lighthouse Christian Academy 64-14 Thursday night in Twin Falls.
Scoring their first varsity touchdowns of the season were Dillon Simpson, Jacy Baird, Shane Bingham, Lynn Mecham and Brett Adamson. Senior Gonzalo Zarate opened the scoring with a 45-yard TD scamper, and senior Trevor Peck ended the scoring with a 60-yard kickoff return.
Kirkland said about Friday's 46-point win over Murtaugh, "Our starters executed very well on offense. The young kids had a great week."
He said junior Antonio Gamino (5 TDs, 32 points), who hurt his knee in the 40-14 road win over North Gem Sept. 4, sat out the Devils game as a precautionary measure.
Carey has now won six consecutive games over the Red Devils by a combined 296-42 score.
Carey visits Mackay Friday
"It's tough to go over and play at Mackay, but we're hungry to beat the Miners over there," said Kirkland.
Carey will get its chance Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in a battle of unbeatens and perennial state championship contenders on the Mackay gridiron. There, the Miners (45-10 overall in 5 seasons since 2005) are 25-3 on their home field since 2004.
The Panthers are ready to deal with the athleticism of Mackay senior quarterback Kole Krosch, the running of Justin Warner and a tough offensive line. Mackay (2-0, 1-0 league) won at home 38-26 over Dietrich Friday and opened the season winning at Challis 42-12.
Mackay beat Carey at home 50-14 during its 11-0 state championship season of 2005 but has lost four straight games to the Panthers, including a 36-14 loss on the Carey gridiron last fall. Since 2004, Mackay has lost at home only to Carey 20-14 in 2007, to Raft River 44-22 also in 2007, and to Richfield 36-8 in last year's playoffs.
Carey's 2009 Homecoming game is set for Friday, Sept. 25 with Dietrich.
CAREY Line Score
Carey 52, Murtaugh 6
MURTAUGH 0 6 x x 6
CAREY. 40 12 x x 52
SCORING
1st half
CAREY—Gonzalo Zarate, 45-yard run (run failed); 11:20 1st (6-0 C)
CAREY—Safety, Gonzalo Zarate sacked Murtaugh QB Derek Bates in end zone; 9:53 1st (8-0 C)
CAREY—Dillon Simpson, 68-yard punt return (Simpson, pass from Trevor Peck); 9:37 1st (16-0 C)
CAREY—Brett Adamson, 21-yard pass from Trevor Peck (Wacey Barg, pass from Peck); 9:19 1st (24-0 C)
CAREY—Lynn Mecham, 6-yard run (Jacy Baird, pass from Caleb Cenarrusa); 7:19 1st (32-0 C)
CAREY—Jacy Baird, 25-yard pass from Caleb Cenarrusa (Shane Bingham run); 2:04 1st (40-0 C)
CAREY—Shane Bingham, 10-yard run (run failed); 1:38 2nd (46-0 C)
MURTAUGH—Manuel Pacheco, 70-yard pass from Derek Bates (pass failed); 1:20 2nd (46-6 C)
CAREY—Trevor Peck, 60-yard kickoff return (pass failed); 1:03 2nd (52-6 C)
KEY STATS MURTAUGH CAREY
Offensive plays 39 36
Time of possession 13:20 10:40
1st downs, rush 1 4
1st downs, pass 1 1
1st downs, penalty 1 1
1st downs, total 3 6
Rushes, yards 15-25 17-121
Yards per carry 1.7 7.1
Fumbles lost 3 0
Completions, passes 6-11 10-12
Completion percentage 55% 83%
Passing yards 89 92
Yards per completion 14.8 9.2
Intercepted by 0 0
Sacks by, yards 2-13 3-18
Returns, yards 7-81 5-201
Total yards gained 177 401
Penalties 3-15 2-31
Punts, yardage 2-70 0-0
Yards per punt 35.0 0.0
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Carey
Rushing—Gonzalo Zarate 1-45, 1 TD; Shane Bingham 6-26, 1 1st, 1 TD, 1 conv.; Lynn Mecham 3-16, 1 TD; Caleb Cenarrusa 2-16, 1 1st; Dillon Simpson 1-15, 1 1st; Jordan Dilworth 2-9, 1 1st; Trevor Peck 1-0; Charlie Rivera 1, -6.
Passing—Trevor Peck 3-3, 27 yards, 1 TD, 2 conv.; Caleb Cenarrusa 2-2, 28 yards, 1 TD, 1 conv.; Jordan Dilworth 5-7, 37 yards, 1 1st.
Receiving—Jacy Baird 2-28, 1 TD, 1 conv.; Shane Bingham 4-28; Brett Adamson 1-21, 1 TD; Charlie Rivera 1-9, 1st; Wacey Barg 1-3, 1 conv.; Dillon Simpson 1-3, 1 conv.
Fumble recoveries (3)—Caleb Cenarrusa 1 with a 10-yard return; Todd Peck 1; Charlie Rivera 1.
Sacks (3)—Gonzalo Zarate 1-6 with a safety; Charlie Rivera 1-8; Lynn Mecham and Jack Cenarrusa 1-4.
Kickoff returns—Trevor Peck 1-60, 1 TD; Caleb Cenarrusa 1-12.
Punt returns—Dillon Simpson 1-60, 1 TD; Jacy Baird 1-51.
Tackles (36)—Brandon Dilworth 5, Charlie Rivera 5, Jacy Baird 3, Blair Peck 3, Caleb Cenarrusa 3, Jack Cenarrusa 2, James Gamino 2, Todd Peck 2, Shane Bingham 2, Sheldon Hansen 1, Lynn Mecham 1, Chance Chavez 1, Trevor Peck 1, Brett Adamson 1, Tyler Chavez 1, Gonzalo Zarate 1, Joe Laidlaw 1, Dillon Simpson 1.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Murtaugh
Rushing—Manuel Pacheco 5-18; Derek Bates 7-8, 1 1st.
Passing—Derek Bates 6-11, 89 yards, 1 1st, 1 TD.
Receiving—Manuel Pacheco 6-89, 1 1st, 1 TD.
Sacks (2)—Manuel Pacheco 2-13.
Kickoff returns—Manuel Pacheco 4-46; Cristian Cabral 1-19; Lizandro Sosa 1-13; Kevin Cabral 1-3.
Tackles (25)—Manuel Pacheco 4, Bryan Venegas 4, Austin Stanger 4, Lizandro Sosa 3, Peter Munoz 3, Derek Bates 3, Jose Gonzalez 2, Cristian Cabral 2.
