MONTGOMERY, Alabama - Wide receiver MarQuan Jamerson caught three touchdown passes as #10 Carver-Montgomery Wolverines defeated Pike Road 22-19 at the Crampton Bowl Thursday night. With the win, Carver wins the Class 6A, Region 2 title, and the Region 2 #1 seed in the playoffs.
Carver (8-1, 6-0) scored 22 points in the first half, while the stingy defense shut out Pike Road in the second half for the region win. "We want to get back into a state notice and showcase our talent," said Wolverines head coach Marcus Gardner. "All summer, it has been a team effort to make a run. Last three weeks, the defense made it personal to get back to holding teams under 20 points; that is what they have done. These guys have been grinding. People don't understand they have busted it since summer,r and it is paying off for them."
Pike Road (5-4, 4-2) won the coin toss and wanted the ball first. They took off over six minutes of the clock, and with 5:35 left in the first quarter, quarterback Kaleb Foster went around the left end for a 12-yard touchdown run. With the score, the Patriots took a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Carver took the ball deep into their territory, ran across the field, and then ran back into the end zone for a safety. They led 9-0 midway through the first quarter with the Patriot's score.
Carver started going on offense. Running back Antonio Trone ripped off a big run for the Wolverines. With :10 seconds left in the first quarter, Christian Johnson found Jamerson on a 31-yard touchdown pass play for the Wolverines. With the score, Carver cut the Pike Road lead down to 9-7 late in the first quarter.
Pike Road responds as running back Anthony Rogers had a 29-yard run to end the first quarter and put the Patriots deep into Carver territory. A few plays later, Brennan Tormey kicked a 25-yard field goal, and Pike Road led 12-7 early in the second quarter. Carver came right back, though, and with 8:54 left in the second quarter, Johnson to Jamerson on a 64-yard touchdown play gave Carver a 14-12 lead.
That lead didn't last long, though. With 3:22 left in half, Rogers scored on a 30-yard touchdown run that gave the Patriots the lead back at 19-14 late in the first half. Carver wasn't done scoring, though. Jamerson caught another deep pass into Patriots territory to set up another score. A Jaylan Jarrett sack late in the half looked like it was going to put Carver out of a scoring opportunity, but Jamerson caught a pass that put the ball on a fourth-and-one play.
On the fourth down play, Johnson hit Jamerson over the middle for an 11-yard touchdown pass, and Carver led 22-19 going into halftime. That was the third touchdown combination of the game. "They went cover zero for most of the first half, and we took advantage of it with our receivers," said Carver QB Johnson. "They had some big guys up front to keep a pocket in the second half, but our defense stepped up as they do every time. I want to make a deep run in playoffs; this means everything to me."
Both defenses stepped up in the second half to keep both teams from scoring. Jamyran Bell picked off a pass for the Wolverines and returned it deep into Pike Road territory, but they failed to capitalize on it.
With less the five minutes left in the game, Carver had to punt back to Pike Road, and the Patriots were determined to do something with their last drive of the game. With a fourth and seven-play, Foster dropped back, was pressured out of the backfield, and ran for a first down to keep the drive alive. A Rogers reception took the ball inside the Carver 20-yard line with less than a minute left in the game.
After three incomplete passes, Pike Road set up a 29-yard field goal to try to tie the game, but Qua Russaw deflected the ball, and Pike Road missed the tying field goal, and the Wolverines came away with the three-point win. "Defense stepped up, and the offense played hard," said Carver DL Russaw. "The defense stepped up and made plays. Worked all summer for this. We have worked so hard and wanted something good to come from it, and it did tonight."
In the win, Jamerson has caught 21 touchdowns on the season to set a Carver record and had high praise for his teammates. "Honestly, I'm proud of myself, but a praise to my quarterback Christian Johnson for getting me the ball," said Carver WR Jamerson. "We're number one in the playoffs and have home-field advantage, so this is great for us. I have seen our defense make big plays all season. They stepped up when we needed them to in the second half. They have done this all season."
Next, Carver is off for the final week of the regular season, while Pike Road will host B.T. Washington.
