Making it back to Pocatello's Holt Arena was a big goal of Carey High School's 2009 football team—and Saturday's 36-12 State 1A Division 2 home playoff victory over the North Gem Cowboys was a vital first step.
By winning, defending state champion Carey will now travel to Idaho State University's Holt Arena Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:45 p.m. for what should be an epic indoors state semi-final against the unbeaten, top-ranked Mackay Miners (10-0).
Carey's ninth-year coach Lane Kirkland (74-17) said after Saturday's eight-man football win over North Gem, "Our goal for four years has been to go to Holt Arena. I'm proud of the kids for making it there again."
Of course this year's State 1A Division 2 championship game will also be held at Holt Arena over the Nov. 19-21 weekend. Carey has enjoyed much success there, 9-0 since 1991 including title game triumphs in 1994, 1998 and 2006.
But Mackay is a big hurdle.
And it wasn't easy to beat a big, tough group of Cowboys (6-4). But Carey (9-1) captured its sixth consecutive win of the season and 15th straight home victory at their Derrick Parke Memorial Field. The Panthers had to rally from a 12-0 second-period deficit, but Carey scored the final five touchdowns.
Seniors Gonzalo Zarate (13 carries for 83 yards, 1 TD) and Dillon Simpson (22-for-80, 1 TD) led the 185-yard Panther rushing attack that had to fight for every yard. Zarate and Simpson also scored touchdowns on defense as the Panthers turned two fumble recoveries, a punt block and an interception into the decisive touchdowns.
Kirkland said, "We recovered from a slow start and really showed a lot of mental toughness. I'm proud that the kids never panicked. The defense woke up and the turnovers helped us. The closing five or six minutes of the second quarter were nothing but momentum. We built on that."
The game unfolded much like the Sept. 4 battle between the two teams, when North Gem led 14-6 and Carey scored the final five TDs for a 40-14 win at Bancroft. On Saturday, North Gem still had the passing advantage, and Carey held the rushing edge. But turnovers were the difference Saturday.
A pair of touchdown passes by North Gem senior quarterback Austin Wuttke (10-for-33 for 135 yards) sent the Cowboys ahead 12-0 and temporarily quieted the Panther crowd. Carey wasn't showing a lot of intensity. Junior defensive back Jacy Baird felt bad about falling on a 54-yard TD pass.
But it was still early and Carey maintained composure.
For his part, Baird fired up his team with two big plays. After Carey's offense was stopped for the fourth straight time, Zarate punted and Baird slammed North Gem's Tyler McLain to the ground with terrific punt coverage. The Baird tackle inspired the defense, which revved up the blitz, forced three incomplete passes and added a three-player sack.
On fourth down, Baird blocked the Cowboys' punt and the Panthers took over deep in North Gem turf at the 31. Zarate ran left end for 19 yards, Simpson dove for eight more and scored the first TD with a five-yard burst up the middle.
North Gem led 12-8 at halftime. Little did the Cowboys know that the Panthers were just getting started. "We challenged the kids at halftime to keep putting pressure on Wuttke, and I think we just wore them down," said Kirkland.
On the second play, senior Wacey Barg pounced on a Cowboy fumble. With junior quarterback Caleb Cenarrusa directing the offense, the Panthers ground out a nine-play, 38-yard scoring drive that Zarate finished from three yards out. Simpson's conversion run made it 16-12, Carey.
Kirkland praised the all-around efforts of Zarate (2 fumble recoveries, 6 tackles, 1 sack, 2 kickoff returns for 30 yards). He said, "Gonzalo did some powerful running, some great blocking and really contained his end on defense, pushing them back toward the middle."
Carey's 6-4, 205-pound Wacey Barg asserted himself on North Gem's next series of downs. Barg barreled through to tackle a Cowboy for six-yard loss then stuffed a short pass. Picking up the short pass was a major objective of Carey's defense.
Kirkland said, "We've been practicing hard for the last month on pass defense. We know that's our weakness. All week long, we concentrated on the deep ball so they couldn't get behind us. They got us once, but I was proud of how we picked up their short passes."
Barg's dominance forced another punt and the Cowboys kept having trouble with punt snaps. A low snap went through the legs of punter Danny Buckley. With Todd Peck bearing down on Buckley in the mad chase, the ball kept bouncing around until Zarate picked it up and strolled into the end zone from five yards.
Comfortably ahead 24-12, Carey added another score after a Trevor Peck fumble recovery in the red zone. Cenarrusa legged it home, and then Simpson returned an intercepted pass 63 yards for the final Panther touchdown.
It was Simpson's 14th TD of the season—nine coming on plays of 30 yards or more (68-, 60- and 66-yard punt returns, 63-yard intercepted pass, 85-yard kickoff return plus 65-, 51- and 36-yard runs, and 89-yard pass).
Friday, the Panthers will try to nail down their fourth consecutive state championship game appearance.
Led by senior QB Kole Krosch, 2005 state champion Mackay (53-10 over 5 seasons) will be a formidable opponent. Krosch rallied Mackay from a 22-0 deficit to beat Carey 26-22 Sept. 18 in Mackay and snap Carey's 15-game win streak.
The other semi-final game matches host Salmon River of Riggins (6-3) and Kootenai (10-0) Saturday at 1 p.m.
Carey defeated Kootenai 46-12 in last year's state title game in Moscow. Two years ago, Salmon River beat Carey 46-42 in the championship game at Boise's Bronco Stadium. And Carey beat Salmon River 50-20 for the 2006 title at Holt Arena.
Prior to the 2006 title game victory, Carey defeated Mackay 36-28 in the Holt semi-finals.
Check today's Web site for Carey-North Gem statistics.
PANTHER NOTES—This year's Carey top scorer Gonzalo Zarate (18 TDs, 120 points) now has 40 TDs and 23 conversions for 290 points. So far, Zarate's four Carey teams are 42-4 with two state championships..... Dillon Simpson (14 TDs, 92 points this fall) in his career has 25 TDs and 14 conversions for 178 points.....Junior Antonio Gamino rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown in the 40-14 road win at North Gem Sept. 4, but he also hurt his knee in that game. Gamino returned for the first time Saturday and came up with an early sack, but he hurt his ankle on North Gem's unsuccessful conversion run after the second Cowboys TD and limped off. He is questionable for the upcoming game against Mackay.....Before Saturday's game, Carey players, coaches and staff paid tribute to 32-year Mountain Express sports editor Jeff Cordes for his 60th birthday.
CAREY Line Score
STATE 1A DIVISION 2 PLAYOFFS
Carey 36, North Gem 12
NORTH GEM 6 6 0 0 12
CAREY. 0 8 16 12 36
SCORING
1st half
NORTH GEM—Taylor Askew, 10-yard pass from Austin Wuttke (run failed); 0:50 1st (6-0 NG)
NORTH GEM—Tyler McLain, 54-yard pass from Austin Wuttke (run failed); 8:25 2nd (12-0 NG)
CAREY—Dillon Simpson, 5-yard run (Wacey Barg, pass from Caleb Cenarrusa); 3:42 2nd (12-8 NG)
2nd half
CAREY—Gonzalo Zarate, 3-yard run (Dillon Simpson run); 8:16 3rd (16-12 C)
CAREY—Gonzalo Zarate, 5-yard fumble recovery (Brett Adamson, pass from Caleb Cenarrusa); 6:41 3rd (24-12 C)
CAREY—Caleb Cenarrusa, 2-yard run (run failed); 6:50 4th (30-12 C)
CAREY—Dillon Simpson, 63-yard run with intercepted pass (run failed); 4:01 4th (36-12 C)
KEY STATS NORTH GEM CAREY
Offensive plays 77 63
Time of possession 25:38 22:22
1st downs, rush 4 11
1st downs, pass 4 2
1st downs, penalty 0 1
1st downs, total 8 14
Rushes, yards 28-44 44-185
Yards per carry 1.6 4.2
Fumbles lost 4 1
Completions, passes 10-33 7-13
Completion percentage 30% 54%
Passing yards 135 58
Yards per completion 13.5 8.3
Intercepted by 1 1
Sacks by, yards 2-10 4-28
Returns, yards 8-99 6-113
Total yards gained 250 346
Penalties 5-26 1-5
Punts, yardage 6-64 3-37
Yards per punt 10.7 12.3
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—Carey
Rushing—Gonzalo Zarate 13-83, 5 1sts, 1 TD; Dillon Simpson 22-80, 3 1sts, 1 TD, 1 conv.; Caleb Cenarrusa 8-19, 2 1sts, 1 TD; Trevor Peck 1-3, 1 1st.
Passing—Caleb Cenarrusa 6-11, 54 yards, 2 1sts, 2 conv., 1 interception; Trevor Peck 1-2, 4 yards.
Receiving—Brett Adamson 3-29, 1 1st, 1 conv.; Dillon Simpson 2-21, 1 1st; Wacey Barg 2-8, 1 conv.
Fumble recoveries (4)—Gonzalo Zarate 2, 1 for a 5-yard TD; Wacey Barg 1; Trevor Peck 1.
Interceptions (1)—Dillon Simpson 1 with a 63-yard TD return.
Sacks (4)—Gonzalo Zarate 1-11; Antonio Gamino 1-6; Blair Peck 1-3; Wacey Barg, Blair Peck and Todd Peck 1-8.
Kickoff returns—Gonzalo Zarate 2-30; Dillon Simpson 1-3.
Punt returns—Dillon Simpson 1-12.
Punt blocks—Jacy Baird 1.
Tackles (60)—Dillon Simpson 10, Blair Peck 8, Gonzalo Zarate 6, Jacy Baird 6, Caleb Cenarrusa 6, Trevor Peck 6, Wacey Barg 6, Todd Peck 4, Lynn Mecham 2, Shane Bingham 2, Antonio Gamino 2, Tyler Chavez 1, Brett Adamson 1.
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS—North Gem
Rushing—Austin Wuttke 11-21, 2 1sts; Merrill Hall 9-19, 1 1st; Tayson Smith 1-6; Tyler McLain 2-4, 1 1st; Taylor Askew 5, -6.
Passing—Austin Wuttke 10-33, 135 yards, 4 1sts, 2 TD, 1 interception.
Receiving—Tyler McLain 3-80, 2 1sts, 1 TD; Taylor Starks 2-33, 2 1sts; Taylor Askew 4-26, 1 TD; Justin White 1, -4.
Fumble recoveries (1)—Taylor Askew 1.
Interceptions (1)—Garrett Hatch 1 with a 22-yard return.
Sacks (2)—Merrill Hall 1-6; Taylor Starks 1-4.
Kickoff returns—Justin White 3-50; Tyler McLain 2-22; Merrill Hall 1-5.
Tackle leaders—Justin White 16, Merrill Hall 14, Tyler McLain 8, Josh Askew 7, Garrett Hatch 5, Taylor Askew 5, Danny Buckley 3, Riley Askew 2, Taylor Starks 2.
Gonzalo Zarate, Carey’s top scorer and leading rusher, leaves North Gem tacklers in the dust during an end run in Saturday’s playoff game at Derrick Parke Memorial Field. Photo by Willy Cook
