Mikes make Allen’s TD hold up
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Coty Allen (5) runs the ball into the end zone for the game’s only touchdown as the Mighty Mikes defeated California, 8-0, Friday night in Tri-County South Conference action.
Carmichaels' Jonathan Christopher (15) breaks up a pass intended for California's KC Zajicek (10) during Carmichaels' 8-0 win over the Trojans Friday at California.
Carmichaels' Coty Allen (5) evades California's defense to gain yardage during the Mighty Mikes' 8-0 win over the Trojans on Friday night.
California quarterback TJ Troutman (5) is forced to throw the ball away as he is hit by Carmichaels' Robert Meadows (57) and pressured by the Mikes' Cody Lancaster (55) during last Friday's game at California. Carmichaels won, 8-0.
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
California quarterback Casey Zajicek (10) feels pressure from Carmichaels’ Brody Blaker (6) as he sets up to pass from his end zone during a Tri-County South Conference game at California on Oct. 2. Zajicek and Blaker are both members of the Herald-Standard All-Area Football Team. See story on B8.
Carmichaels' Jonathan Christopher (15) attempts to catch a pass during Friday's Tri-County South Conference game against the California Trojans. The Mighty Mikes held on for an 8-0 victory over the Trojans.
CALIFORNIA — Coty Allen scored on an 18-yard run late in the first quarter and the Carmichaels defense made the score stand up in an 8-0 win over California Friday night.
The win lifted the Mighty Mikes to 2-2 in Tri-County South Conference games and 2-3 overall, while California fell to 1-3 in conference games and 1-4 overall, as the football season crossed its midpoint.
“This was a great team win tonight,” said Carmichaels coach Ryan Krull. “Anytime you pitch a shutout, you have a lot of kids playing well on the defensive side and we had that tonight.”
You could see on the scoreboard that California coach Darrin Dillow was disappointed. His defense did an outstanding job of keeping the Trojans in the game, but Dillow realizes that you can’t win a football game without scoring.
“This was a tough one,” Dillow said. “It’s difficult to see the kids work so hard, like they did this week, and not get anything out of it. Carmichaels played well. I just didn’t have them ready.”
The win puts Carmichaels back in the thick of the playoff chase, but Krull refuses to talk about the playoffs with his team.
“We’ll enjoy this win tonight, then tomorrow we’ll start getting ready for next week,” Krull said, referring to Carmichaels’ game at West Greene. “We have to keep winning or this win won’t mean anything.”
“We’re in playoff trouble,” Dillow said of his Trojans, who travel to Bentworth next Friday. “We have to win out if we want to make the playoffs. But with this team, we have a shot.”
The only touchdown of the game came at the end of Carmichaels’ second offensive possession. The Mikes had driven to the California 31 on their first possession, only to have Cal’s Casey Zajicek intercept a pass on a third-and-21 play.
Carmichaels got penetration on California’s ensuing punt attempt and punter Dustin Mock was forced to run. He failed to make the sticks and Carmichaels took over at the Cal 39.
On a first-and-10 from the 18, Allen followed his blocking and found the end zone.
“We called a toss sweep and I just followed by guys up front,” Allen said. “There really wasn’t a hole there anywhere, but the guys just stayed on their blocks and I finally was able to get past them and went into the end zone.”
Quarterback David Morgan passed to Jon Christopher for a two-point conversion and Carmichaels had all of the points it would need with 1:47 showing on the first quarter clock.
Allen, an outside linebacker on defense, enjoyed pitching a shutout as much as he enjoyed scoring the game’s only touchdown.
“I’m happy I scored a touchdown, but the way our guys stopped the run tonight was amazing,” Allen said.
Indeed, Carmichaels held the Trojan ground game to 45 yards on 26 carries and limited California to 146 total yards.
“We have to get better offensively,” Dillow said. “Defensively, we’re definitely getting better every week. Offensively, though, we need to find our niche. We don’t have an identity on offense.”
The closest the Trojans came in this game was in the second quarter, when quarterback Tyler Troutman completed four of seven passes for 80 yards, but a fumbled snap on fourth-and-1 from the Carmichaels 2-yard line proved costly and the Mikes ran the last 2:52 off the clock.
“We had too many penalties and the turnover really hurt us,” Dillow said. His team committed 11 penalties for 97 yards, which almost negated Cal’s offensive output.
Carmichaels managed only 193 total offensive yards and got 129 of them on the ground. Allen led the way with 83 on 28 carries.
“We don’t have anybody who can take the top off a defense,” Krull said. “But, we have enough skill guys so a defense can’t key on one guy. They know how to keep getting first downs, so that is how we run our offense.
“We stress ball possession and keeping mistakes to a minimum. It makes us play every snap.”
Even when you only score on one of them.
Tri-County South Conference
Carmichaels 8-0-0-0 — 8
California 0-0-0-0 — 0
First Quarter
Car: Coty Allen 18 run (Jon Christopher pass from David Morgan), 1:47 (8-0)