Mikes survive downpour, hand Trojans 33-17 loss
CARMICHAELS — In a game that totaled 11 fumbles, due to the torrential downpour and field conditions, the Carmichaels Mighty Mikes defeated the California Trojans, 33-17.
Of the 11 fumbles, only three were lost in the Tri-County South Conference match-up, as most came on snaps.
“The first thing we had to straighten out was fumbling the snap,” Carmichaels head coach Ryan Krull said. “There must have been a half dozen snaps that we (dropped). When we got that straightened up, we were able to go from there. I think our quarterback hung in there a little bit longer than he does, and I think our center hung in there a little bit longer than he does to make sure we got the snap.”
While California is a team that typically passes significantly more than Carmichaels, head coach Darrin Dillow said the weather conditions are not an excuse.
“We can’t even take a snap,” Dillow said. “We can’t run the ball if we can’t take a snap. We can’t pass the ball if we can’t take a snap. Our team fumbling the ball is a major issue. Carmichaels had the same conditions as us; that’s on us that we fumbled the ball.”
Despite the bad weather, the Mikes came firing out of the gate, scoring three touchdowns before the Trojans would get a first down, which came with about 2:30 left to play in the half.
On Carmichaels’ second drive of the game, sophomore running back Joey Minor scored the first touchdown of the game, a 36-yard run to put the Mikes ahead 6-0. Minor would not play much in the second half, as Krull said he was “banged up,” but the Mikes’ starting tailback ended the night with 46 yards on nine rushing attempts and the touchdown.
The Mikes scored again on their next drive, this time a 10-yard run from junior running back Brennen Pelzer at the beginning of the second quarter. A two-point conversion pass from senior quarterback Jonathan Christopher to senior Cody Brown gave the Mikes a 14-0 lead.
After another three-and-out — California’s third straight to begin the game — the Mikes scored again. Christopher scored on a QB sneak designed to just get a first down in the red zone, but ended up going for 15 yards and a score to increase the lead to 20 points late in the second quarter.
Christopher would end the night with 64 yards on 16 carries and the touchdown.
The last 2:30 of the half was the complete opposite of the rest of the half, as California would score 10 points to cut its deficit in half.
The first score, which came on a drive that saw the Trojans begin on the Carmichaels 30-yard line, was a 19-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Austin Grillo to junior tight end Braden Petrucci.
“We came out, we were ready, we were fired up,” Krull said. “But, then things kind of died for us. I don’t know if we felt that because we’re up 20-0 that we’ll roll right through this thing, but I did not like that one bit. It did seem like we lost something.”
With only seconds remaining in the half, the Trojans marched into the red zone, as the drive was capped off by a 25-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Dustin Mock. Despite being outgained 253-88, the Trojans went into the half only down 10 points.
“The kids showed a little bit of guts there with that; we kind of had the momentum going our way,” Dillow said. “It’s tough to get a little bit of momentum and be lucky, because we were lucky to gain the yards that we needed to score those 10 points.”
Then the third quarter happened, and both teams combined for seven fumbles in the quarter alone.
Near the beginning of the quarter, California dropped a snap, turning the ball over to Carmichaels. On the very next play, the Mikes did the same exact thing, giving possession back to the Trojans.
On that drive, California continued its comeback, as Grillo threw for his second touchdown of the night, this time to junior wide receiver Collin Phillips, who jumped over three defenders and came down with the wobbly pass despite his 5-8 frame.
Grillo completed 6-of-15 pass attempts for 121 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
And, as the weather calm down in the fourth quarter, the Mikes found the execution they had lost from the first half.
After a fumble on a bad snap — the second lost fumble on the night for the Trojans – Pelzer scored from four yards out to give the Mikes a two-score cushion.
Two drives later for the Trojans, freshman defensive back Dylan Wilson picked off a Grillo pass, giving Carmichaels the ball at midfield and sealing the win for the Mikes.
Pelzer would punch in one last score, this time from five yards out, after a 41-yard run from Brown.
Brown carried much of the load for the Mikes in the second half, as he ended as the game’s leading rusher with 135 yards on 18 carries.
Pelzer scored three touchdowns on the day while running for 84 yards on 12 carries.
“He’s just a changeup. He comes at you from different angles in terms of where he lines up, so I think that makes it somewhat difficult,” Krull said. “I think it also makes it difficult because our tailback touches the ball so often, and you have to account for him. Also, our offensive line has done a really good job so far. It all starts with them. I don’t care what you draw up, if those guys aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do, you’re not going to get any yards.”
Next week, California will travel to Rochester for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, while Carmichaels will visit Jefferson-Morgan for a 7 p.m. start.
Tri-County South Conference
California 0-10-7-0 — 17
Carmichaels 6-14-0-13 — 33
First Quarter
CARM: Joey Minor 36 run (kick failed), 3:32
Second Quarter
CARM: Brennen Pelzer 10 run (Cody Brown pass from Jonathan Christopher), 9:58
CARM: Christopher 15 run (run failed), 4:52
CAL: Braden Petrucci 19 pass from Austin Grillo (Dustin Mock kick), 2:02
CAL: Mock 25 field goal, 0:00
Third Quarter
CAL: Collin Phillips 27 pass from Grillo (Mock kick), 5:47
Fourth Quarter
CARM: Pelzer 4 run (kick failed), 9:19
CARM: Pelzer 5 run (Hunter Davis kick), 2:29