HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL : Mt. Carmel Earns Tie With No. 1 Carson

Mt. Carmel blocked two short-range field-goal attempts in the final three seconds Friday to assist in making a mockery of state and national preseason high school rankings.

The two blocked kicks--one with three seconds left, the other with no time remaining after the Sundevils were penalized for having 12 men on the field--gave them a 7-7 tie against Carson.

Carson entered the contest ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal Hi Magazine and No. 2 in the nation by USA Today.

Mt. Carmel, which started 14 sophomores on a 1-9 team in 1991, stifled Carson most of the game. Carson’s offense scored no points and was held to 203 yards total offense.

“I really have no words for this,” Carson wide receiver Ernest Claxton said. “The defense played like the No. 2 team in the nation, but the offense stunk. We were confused. There was confusion among the players, the coaches, everybody.”

Said Mt. Carmel Coach Doug Kamon: “We told you guys in the press we were ready, and we were. I guess that means we tied for No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation.”

Mt. Carmel’s Cameron Barnes had the first blocked field goal, and Sam Herrick the second, which set off a wild celebration among the Sundevils and left Carson players shaking their heads in disbelief.

Carson’s only score in the first half came with 53 seconds remaining and happened only because Mt. Carmel got unnecessarily greedy.

Carson’s Don Moala scored the touchdown on a 28-yard interception return.

Why Mt. Carmel thought they could drive 80 yards in 1:09--the time remaining after Carson missed a 36-yard field goal attempt--left most in the crowd of 3,000 at Sundevil Stadium stunned. Most felt the Sundevils should be pleased with a scoreless first half and run out the clock.

The Sundevils to that point had 24 yards total offense, one first down and had not completed a pass in three attempts.

Sundevil quarterback Damian Dolin’s pass on a quick slant pattern hit Moala right in the hands, and Moala broke two tackles in carrying Carson to a 7-0 lead.

Mt. Carmel tied the game with 1:36 left in the third quarter. Ken Pohl scored on a one-yard effort up the middle. The score was set up by a fake punt play on which Chad Moon hit Jason Payne on a short slant pattern. Payne carried the ball 26 yards to the Carson 12-yard line.

Mt. Carmel caught an early break when Moon popped Carson running back Robert Johnson on the game’s third play and Sundevil Cameron Barnes recovered the ensuing fumble.

Mt. Carmel, however, starting from the Carson 28-yard line, netted zero yards in its four-play series and surrendered possession on downs.

It was a sign of things to come as neither team had much success moving the ball in a mistake-prone first half.

At the end of the first quarter, Carson had only six yards rushing, 19 passing and one first down.

Mt. Carmel, meanwhile, gained only nine total yards, all rushing.

Throw out a 19-yard pass play by Carson and a 16-yard carry by Mt. Carmel’s Marlin Carey, and the two schools combined for minus-one yard in the first 12 minutes.

The second quarter provided a little more yardage but not much. Halftime statistics showed Mt. Carmel with 43 total yards and Carson with 113. Mt. Carmel had two turnovers and Carson, and Carson also missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.