Carver High’s celebration after a Region 2-AAA-clinching 27-7 victory against LaGrange was remarkably subdued.
“That’s not our thing,” Carver coach Dell McGee said. “We care about it, but that’s not the ultimate goal. We break on ‘Week 15’ (the state championship round) every day, every week. That’s what we want to get to. You’ll see a celebration if we get there.”
The No. 4 Tigers (8-1, 5-0 Region 2-AAA) rode junior running back Isaiah Crowell for 230 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium Friday on their way to a third straight region title. Carver has won 23 straight region games dating back to 2007.
By winning the region, Carver locks up the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, which begin two weeks from now.
The Tigers overwhelmed the No. 7 Grangers (7-2, 4-1) with their size, running the ball 42 times for 329 yards.
“That was the whole plan,” McGee said. “We felt like if we just push on them and push on them, eventually we’d start getting some big plays. It happened late.”
Crowell put the game away. The Carver workhorse ran the ball 26 times after only being needed for five carries last week in a blowout win against Kendrick.
He somehow maintained his balance on a goal-line carry in the fourth quarter, staying up for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 20-7 Carver with 4:23 left.
After LaGrange turned the ball over on downs, Crowell ripped off a 52-yard touchdown run up the left sideline, zipping past several Grangers defenders on his way to the end zone.
“He’s a great football player,” McGee said. “Can’t deny that. You’ve got to get him the football.”
LaGrange finished with 202 yards, 70 of which came on the first drive. The Grangers leaned on running back Ocie Salter, who ran for 85 yards on 20 carries. His 2-yard touchdown run with 6:36 left in the first quarter made it 7-0 LaGrange.
“It was kind of hard to simulate that tempo in practice,” McGee said. “After that, (our defense) got the tempo of what they were doing and got the hang of what was going on. They adjusted and played lights out after that.”
The Tigers only allowed 21 more yards in the first half.
Carver’s offense, meanwhile, overcame a series of mistakes to tie the game at 7 midway through the second quarter. After LaGrange shanked a punt, Tigers quarterback Devin Burns scored on a 25-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-18.
It appeared as though the game would be tied heading into halftime, but LaGrange quarterback Jamius Gunsby fumbled with 46 seconds left. Carver’s Brandon Smith pounced on the ball at the Grangers’ 41.
One play later, Burns rolled out and hit Byron Key on the run for a 40-yard touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half to give Carver its first lead at 14-7.
Smith finished with 105 passing yards and a touchdown plus 39 rushing yards and a score. Key had four catches for 60 yards.
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Friday at Memorial Stadium
@z-BR TabQuarters 1col:LaGrange 7 0 0 0—7
Carver 0 14 0 13—27
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:First Quarter
L—Ocie Salter 2 run (Joe Mansour kick), 6:36.
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Second Quarter
C—Devin Burns 25 run (Siale Piuala kick), 6:36.
C—Byron Key 40 pass from Burns (Piuala kick), 0:12.
@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Fourth Quarter
C—Isaiah Crowell 3 run (run failed), 4:23.
C—Crowell 52 run (Piula kick), 2:01.
Team records: LaGrange 7-2, 4-1 Region 2-AAA; Carver 8-1, 5-0 Region 2-AAA.
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@