Carey Gets 288 Yards to Propel Mt. Carmel

Mt. Carmel tailback Marlin Carey preferred to let the numbers speak for themselves.

Matched against Castle Park’s Anthony Davis, the duo make up two of the three best runners in San Diego County. And in a 31-24 victory over Castle Park, Carey--third in the county--had some pretty impressive numbers. He rushed 19 times for 288 yards and three touchdowns to lift Mt. Carmel into the San Diego Section 3-A semifinals against Palomar League rival Poway.

Carey also caught two passes for 58 yards. And in the first half, when he rushed 15 times for only 67 yards--he carried four times for 221 in the second--he served as a decoy.

“That guy’s super,” Castle Park Coach Gil Warren said. “I wonder if he wants to transfer. He killed us.

“If we could have contained him. . . .”

If. One of the biggest words in the dictionary.

Mt. Carmel held a 7-3 halftime lead before the game accelerated into full throttle.

Castle Park scored, keyed by a 48-yard pass from Moses Moreno to Benji Collins, and a two-yard pass to Steve Lujan gave the Trojans a 10-7 lead.

Next play, Carey went 84 yards, breaking three tackles along the way.

After a fake punt went awry at its 30, Mt. Carmel’s defense surrendered Davis’ 19-yard scoring run. Into a fierce wind, Chris Arnce’s extra-point attempt went wide. Castle Park led, 16-14.

On the ensuing possession, Mt. Carmel kicker Trong Nguyen took advantage of that wind, kicking a 50-yard field goal.

Mt. Carmel’s defense held, and passes of 38 yards to Josh Eby and 17 yards to Jason Payne set up a two-yard scoring pass from Damian Dolin to Chad Moon. Mt. Carmel led, 24-16.

Relentless, Castle Park drove from its 35 to the Mt. Carmel 24, when Payne intercepted Moreno’s pass at the one-yard line. After Dolin’s sneak to the six, Carey skirted outside, got a terrific block from Payne, then outran Raniel Hall for a 94-yard score--31-16.

Castle Park added a touchdown on the next possession to close the scoring.

Carey’s first touchdown, from four yards, gave Mt. Carmel a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter.

Davis carried 24 times for 183 yards and caught two passes for 35 receiving.

Carey was asked if he believed he was the best back in the county.

“That’s for you to decide,” he answered. “I have the best offensive line in the county and if you have the best offensive line, you’ll be the best back.

On this night, there was little argument.

Third-seeded Mt. Carmel is 10-1-1 and the win was the school’s ninth consecutive victory. It has not lost since dropping a 29-28 decision to San Pasqual in the season’s third week. It continues the Sundevils’ remarkable turnaround after a 1-9 campaign last year.

Castle Park is 9-3 and the loss snapped its winning streak at six. It marked the Trojans’ first loss with Davis neither injured nor absent from the lineup.