MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- #9 Enterprise used a stingy defense to defeat #3 Carver-Montgomery 17-14 at the Cramton Bowl on Thursday night. The Wolverines' offense, which has averaged 37 points a game, was held in check for most of the game. The Wildcats' defense limited Carver's big-play offense.
Enterprise (4-2, 2-2) hammered home that it would take a big night to hold Carver on offense, and that is what happened in this Region 2 matchup. "This was a tough, gritty win," said Wildcats head coach Ben Blackmon. "Really proud of our players. I challenged them to give me five minutes of the best plays that they could have, and that is what they did. I'm so proud of my guys. They battled, laid their guts on the line, and got after it. We kept them under control and put pressure on the quarterback. I thought that was an awesome performance."
Enterprise scored first in the game and really set the tone. With 8:37 left in the first quarter, quarterback Mason Burkhardt scored on a 9-yard touchdown run around the left end, and the Wildcats took an early 7-0 lead. Carver (5-1, 3-1) came right back though. With 1:32 left in the first quarter, TJ Russell scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, and the game was tied 7-7. On that drive, Russell threw a great ball out of the backfield to a wide-open Anthony Rogers, who took the ball deep in Wildcats territory.
Enterprise responded right back, and with 11:13 left in the second quarter, Burkhardt faked a reverse handoff and found Davis Shiver wide open down the middle of the field and a 44-yard touchdown pass play, and the Wildcats took a 14-7 lead. Carver-Montgomery came back in the second quarter and reached into the Wildcats territory, but sacks by Zion Grady and Walker Turner kept the Wolverines offense at bay. Right before the half, Wolverines defensive back Camare' Jackson picked off a pass but could only return it around 20 yards, and the first half ended with Enterprise leading 14-7 at halftime.
Carver drove to start the second half again but couldn't do anything with it. They forced a turnover midway through the third quarter, and the Wolverines were set up in a good field position. A few plays later, Tre Berry scored on a 6-yard touchdown run, and with 4:33 left in the third quarter, the game was tied at 14-14.
Early in the fourth quarter, Enterprise had a good drive but had to settle for a 24-yard field goal, which gave them a 17-14 lead. With around eight minutes left in the game, Carver had two shots at the goal line and was turned away on a 3rd and goal at the one-yard line and a 4th and goal at the one-yard line. A big defensive stand by Enterprise with just over eight minutes left in the game. Enterprise took over the ball at the one-yard line and whipped out the clock as they drove to Carver territory, but the game ended, and the Carver offense was stuck on the sideline the rest of the game.
