Persistent Carroll knocks off Maize South 42-14 (+video)

Bishop Carroll’s offense needed just three plays and 28 seconds Friday to go 61 yards and take the lead in its 42-14 win over Maize South. Three quick completions made for a near-perfect start to what turned into a blowout, but the rest of the first quarter wasn’t nearly as easy for the Golden Eagles, who had to get out of their own way in order to claim a win that put them atop the Class 5A-District 7 standings with a perfect 2-0 record.

Bishop Carroll drove inside Maize South’s 30-yard line three more times in the first quarter but failed to turn any drives into points due to a blocked field goal, missed field goal and turnover on downs.

Starting tailback Adam Theis left the game in the first half with a leg injury and didn’t return, and the excitement from the Golden Eagles’ momentum-grabbing opening drive turned flat with just a 7-0 lead after one quarter.

“It was frustrating,” senior quarterback Jake Allen said. “We made adjustments, but we’ve just got to get better finishing off drives.”

Allen led a passing game that emerged as the deciding factor. He threw for two touchdowns and more than 300 yards, completing 21 of 29 passes. He also ran for two scores, including a 5-yard scamper in a 21-point second quarter than turned a close game into another Bishop Carroll blowout.

With Theis on the bench the entire second half, junior Gage Gottschalk filled in with an effective rushing attack that complimented the passing game. Gottschalk rushed for 60 yards and two second-half touchdowns on eight carries.

“I was pleased with Gage,” Carroll coach Alan Schuckman said. “Gage gave us a spark, and made some big plays – good runs and a good catch. He was just waiting for his opportunity and he took advantage of it.”

The Maize South defense came through early by stopping Bishop Carroll in the red zone, but the Mavericks’ offense couldn’t keep up.

“We got beat up early on that first drive and it felt like our offensive guys were trying to make too many big plays happen.” Maize South coach Brian Pfeifer said.

Senior quarterback Korie Frausto used his size and speed to break off a few runs but was largely kept in check.

“All week in practice we just worked on stopping Korie,” senior linebacker Evan Nichols said. “We knew if we played as a team and filled the gaps that they couldn’t hit them. We were trying to make a wave on the outside, so we plugged up all the holes so we could overtake them and that’s kind of how we did it. The coaches really prepared us well and we played well.”

Frausto rushed for 76 yards and completed only 8 of 19 passes. The Bishop Carroll defense threw him for losses five times and senior defensive back Brian Karst snagged an interception early in the second half.

This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 11:50 PM with the headline "Persistent Carroll knocks off Maize South 42-14 (+video)."