Cavs suffer tough region loss
BIRMINGHAM -- In a game of inches, the John Carroll Catholic High School football team came up just a few short in the final minute of the Cavaliers’ 20-14 loss at Carver on Friday night.
Down by 6, the Cavs attempted to put together a game-winning drive in the waning seconds but were stuffed twice inside the Carver 10-yard line, turning it over on downs with just 11 seconds left in regulation.
“(Execution) was the main focus of this week and our kids came out and executed. Things just didn’t go our way,” said John Carroll head coach Will Mara. “We fought for all four quarters and I couldn’t be more proud of our kids. To get that out of our young team, I’m very proud of our kids and the way they keep fighting. Like I said, just didn’t go our way tonight.”
A low-scoring affair, four of the five touchdowns in the game were scored in the first half. Carver (3-2, 1-2 in Class 5A, Region 5) opened up the scoring on the first possession of the game. Taking just over three minutes, the hosts put together a seven-play, 65-yard drive that was capped by a 28-yard touchdown run by T’marcus Threatt and went up 8-0 after the successful two-point conversion.
John Carroll (1-4, 1-2) responded in a hurry, however, needing just four plays from scrimmage. Given a short field and helped by a number of Carver penalties, the Cavs went 56 yards and ended the drive with an 11-yard touchdown scramble by quarterback Carson McFadden. With 7:42 to go in the first, the visitors trailed 8-7.
A missed field goal by John Carroll and a Rams’ fumble in Cavaliers territory squandered potential points for both teams in the second quarter, but each would get their respective touchdowns in the final minute of the half.
A two-minute scoring drive by the Rams, ending on a two-yard touchdown run by Cornelius Jones, put the home side back up 14-7 with 50 seconds before the break. But just like last time, John Carroll had a quick answer.
A long kickoff return by Mitchell Nutter put the Cavaliers at the Carver 15-yard line. A play later, McFadden would find receiver Seth Seidenfaden for the score, knotting the game up at 14-14 at the half.
In the second half, neither team could get much going offensively. The first punt of the game came on John Carroll’s first possession of the third quarter, but there would be four more between the two teams after it.
Starting a drive in Carver territory midway through the third, the Cavs looked to be in a good position to score, but penalties set them back. The special teams came out for another field goal attempt, a 33-yarder, but it was deflected at the line by the Rams and no good.
“We’ve got to string good plays together consistently,” Mara said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re honed in and focused and not taking any plays off.”
Carver’s go-ahead touchdown came with just under nine minutes left in the final period of play. Ending a seven-play drive, Cornelius Jones connected with Jamari Owens for a 27-yard score on the only pass play of the series. Failing on the two-point conversion, the Rams went up 20-14.
The visitors would get one last chance to steal the win, though.
Taking over with 5:37 to go in regulation, John Carroll put together a methodical, clock-draining drive, starting from its own 32-yard line. With a good balance of pass and run plays, the Cavaliers got into the red zone with under a minute left. But, with the game on the line, it was the Carver defense that held out. On third- and fourth-and-inches from the 9, John Carroll was denied twice, handing the ball back to the Rams on downs, who finished out the game in the victory formation.
“We’re outmanned every week and we know that and we embrace that,” Mara said. “Our kids never give up, they never give up, and that’s a new culture here at John Carroll. I give all the credit to these kids for buying in every week.”
John Carroll has an open date next week before hosting region foe Pleasant Grove on Sept. 30.