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| NEWS-TRIBUNE PHOTO BY CHRIS TODD
CWL quarterback Tommy McGregor pivots to make a handoff during his team's 28-18 win over Ventura in an Eight-Man Class state tournament game in Ventura last Monday night. |
CWL shuts down Ventura, advances
Panthers will host Janesville in quarterfinal game on Friday
By Chris Todd
Of the Summit
VENTURA - CWL-Corwith's Jason Carroll is having a good time with the Panther football team's run.
The sophomore tailback/defensive back says the atmosphere at CWL-Corwith High has been electric with its eight-man football team in the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
"It's been awesome for the whole community, really, " he said. "We've had pep rallies before every game and everybody is really into it."
Carroll made sure the playoff run continued here Monday night, scoring touchdowns on a 15-yard interception return and a 43-yard scamper, both in the fourth quarter.
Carroll's scores turned a 14-6 lead into a 28-6 lead that stood up despite two late Ventura scores. The Panthers won the game 28-18, and improved to 9-1 in the process.
With the win, CWL advances to the state quarterfinals, where they'll meet Janesville next Friday.
"We win just one more game and we'll get to the dome," said Carroll, who also led the Panthers in tackles with 16 Monday night.
"We've come to expect those type of plays from Jason," said CWL-Corwith coach Ken Burrington. "For just a sophomore, he's way ahead of his years as a football player."
Both teams had trouble sustaining drives against the other's defense. Many eight-man games turn into offensive shootouts, and CWL has put its share of points up this season, averaging 50 per game. But not against Ventura.
"We just couldn't get any drives going against Ventura," Carroll said. "They were shutting us down except for a few plays, but we played just as good a defense as they did."
"It was probably the best overall defense we've played all year," Burrington said.
"I thought our defensive backs had great coverage on their two top receivers, and it helped that we put good pressure on their quarterback up front all night."
The teams exchanged early touchdowns in the first quarter, with Carroll scoring on a one-yard run and Ventura quarterback Jeremiah Hagen adding a touchdown on a 47-yard run.
CWL came right back with a 35-yard run by running back Daniel Anderson and made the extra-point for a 14-6 lead. It looked like an old fashioned eight-man shootout was underway.
Ventura quickly moved deep into CWL territory, getting to the six-yard line at one point. But the Panther defense, with the help of a penalty, held and took over. The defensive struggle was on.
Neither team scored in the second or third quarters, then Carroll came to the fore.
With 6 minutes, 13 seconds left, Carroll intercepted a Hagen pass in the flat and ran it in for the score.
"I just stepped in front of their receiver and had an open path to the goal line," Carroll said.
"We'd been telling our guys to read that pattern as an out, but we weren't doing it," Burrington said. "With them throwing so much, it was only a matter of time until we got one."
Ventura used a 30-yard pass and a five-yard face mask penalty to move to the CWL 26, but again, the drive stalled.
"We just kept making good defensive plays," Carroll said.
Ventura went backwards instead of forward and CWL took over at its own 38. On a first down play from that point, Carroll took off down the left sideline and simply outran Ventura defenders.
"Jason just has great speed," said Burrington. "Last spring in track as a freshman, he was fourth at districts in the 200 meters."
Just three minutes remained and Ventura made the most of them before running out of time. The Vikings scored on a pass of nine yards to Tyler Peterson, and after recovering an onside kick, scored on a 47-yard pass to Tyler Betz.
"It was a matchup between our D-backs and Betz and Peterson," Burrington said. "The got us a couple of times, but overall, we had great coverage."
CWL rushed 47 times for 228 yards, while Ventura was held to just 39 yards rushing on 27 attempts. The Vikings did pass for 225 yards but Hagen was intercepted twice and Ventura also lost two fumbles.
"It was a nice win for us, and we hope to keep it going," said Burrington. "(The playoff run) has really been a big lift to all three communities (Corwith, Wesley and LuVerne)."
Story created Nov 04, 2008 - 13:20:36 CST.
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