Staff report
CHINA GROVE — A three-game losing streak didn’t derail Carson’s confidence in its veer offense, and the Cougars ran it to perfection on Friday in a 43-7 trouncing of South Piedmont Conference and county rival East Rowan.
It was a case of run it until they stop it, East couldn’t stop it, and Carson (4-4, 2-3) just kept running it. The Cougars amassed 320 rushing yards.
Carson’s defense was equally dominant.
Carson QB Griffin Barber only had to throw three times, completing two for 16 yards. Barber did his damage by keeping the ball on the option. He had three rushing touchdowns. Damo’n Broussard carried 11 times for 106 yards, while Rosean Perkins ran 10 times for 78 yards. Perkins, Colin Masingo and Trip Marcum scored a rushing TD apiece.
Julio Moctezuma kicked five PATs for the Cougars. Perkins ran for a 2-point conversion.
Perkins and Broussard had missed the Concord game the previous week when the Cougars were limited to seven points.
This was Carson’s first victory since a draining setback against West Rowan. East (3-5, 1-4) was coming off a draining loss of its own to the Falcons.
Carson special teams provided a major play early, as Garreck Barnes blocked a punt. The Cougars only needed to go 27 yards, and Barber got his first touchdown on a keeper from the 15 for a 7-0 lead.
Broussard’s 30-yard run set up Marcum’s TD for a 14-0 lead. Another Barber TD made it 21-0 before the Mustangs were able to answer.
East scored on a 9-yard pass in the second quarter from Julian Cauble to Jaxon Lyons to get back to 21-7, but Broussard returned the kickoff to midfield for another short field, and Barber’s third TD made it 28-7.
Carson’s defense made a goal-line stand late in the first half to preserve the three-TD lead, and that proved to be a backbreaker for the Mustangs.
Carson continued to roll in the second half, with Perkins and Masingo putting the ball in the end zone.
“Broussard crushed it on his blocks,” Carson head coach Jonathan Lowe said.
Linebacker Jamarion Brown stood out for Carson’s defense with 14 tackles and an interception.
Lyons is East’s main ballcarrier and the Mustangs want to run, but he was limited to 20 yards on 10 carries. Down early and with Carson stuffing a lot of ground plays, the Mustangs were forced to throw often.
East put in the air 29 times but only managed 83 passing yards, as Carson DBs Cruise Montieth and Ty Woods had strong nights. East receiver Jason Bonds, who had produced back-to-back massive outings against Salisbury and West Rowan, was quiet with four catches for 37 yards.
“We got lockdown defense from our corners,” Lowe said. “We got a lot of maturity and leadership from (defensive lineman) Chanler Reaves. (Ethan) Webb and (Elijah) Morgan put great pressure on the quarterback.”
Ashur Tesh led East’s defense with 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Bryson Ware and Keaton Ware were credited with eight tackles each.
Carson needed this one, as it gets Robinson next. East will take on South Rowan.
