Elko Daily Free Press
CARLIN — In the season opener for the Wells and Carlin football teams — a non-conference matchup — the Railroaders rolled to a 42-12, 30-point victory on Sep. 22, in Wells.
On Thursday, the Leopards traveled to Carlin for the 1A North meeting — the contest more competitive but yielding the same result.
The Railroaders rushed for 349 yards as a team and comfortably cruised to a 50-28 victory, sweeping the season series.
On its first possession of its homecoming game, Carlin drove 68 yards in nine plays.
From the 32, junior Dylan Ramirez broke a big run off the right tackle to the Wells 38 and took a toss play to the left for eight yards.
Junior Gage Lewis moved the chains with a carry to the 25.
Wells forced a fumble, but Ramirez pounced on the loose ball.
On 3rd-and-1 from the 15, junior quarterback Leo Krantz snuck up the middle for a first down at the 12.
Leis took an inside give for nine yards, and Ramirez punched across the goal line from the wildcat.
The Railroaders grabbed an 8-0 lead with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter on a throw from Krantz to senior Kayden Kerby.
After returning to the 44 on a fake reverse by sophomore Johnny Glascock, Wells went three-and-out and punted the football.
From their own 40, the Railroaders embarked on another nine-play drive for points.
Kerby drew a pass interference penalty on second down, and Carlin overcome a first-down run by Ramirez with a holding penalty on a great juke by junior Tryston Martinez to the Wells 22.
The Leopards were once again called for pass interference against Kerby deep down the seam, and Krantz capped the drive with a one-yard sneak up the gut.
On the conversion, Carlin faked a pass to the left — Krantz working back across the field and finding sophomore Landon Huntley in the right flat.
With 3:24 on the clock, Carlin led 16-0.
From their own 23, the Leopards picked up a first down at the 44 with a sprint to the left by freshman Landon Hall after a gain of 15.
On 4th-and-5, Wells turned the ball over on downs as a counter to Glascock came up short of the line to gain at the Carlin 49.
The Railroaders went 51 yards to paydirt in five plays.
Lewis rushed for a first down at the Wells 39, Martinez took a jet sweep for eight yards and Ramirez gashed the middle for a 31-yard touchdown.
Carlin tried a trick play — doomed with a bad snap — but opened a 22-0 lead with 26 seconds remaining in the first.
On the ensuing kick, Wells junior Joe Dahl nearly made a house call — returning all the way to the Carlin 25.
After a four-yard run by sophomore quarterback Olen Morrison — a face mask pushing the ball to the 11 — Hall kept the ball and gained three yards.
The Leopards got on the board with a misdirection throw to junior Gage Uhlig for an eight-yard touchdown.
The conversion was stopped short as Carlin juniors Sebastian Anthony and Ronnie Ladd combined for a tackle, but Wells was back to within two scores at 22-6 with 11:34 remaining in the second quarter.
The momentum was short-lived.
On the kickoff, Lewis broke several tackles and spun away from other defenders for an electric 85-yard TD.
The conversion fell incomplete, but the Railroaders regained a 28-6 lead in one play.
Wells went three-and-out, and Carlin turned the ball over on downs.
But, the Leopards once again punted after a three-and-out — Kerby recovering a fumble at the Carlin 45 — and Martinez pushed the Railroaders’ advantage to 34-6 on a 55-yard touchdown run with 4:33 remaining in the second.
Dahl returned the kickoff to Carlin’s side of midfield, Uhlig picked up nine yards on first down and sophomore Luis Martinez moved the sticks with a short carry.
Sophomore Marcus Uhart maintained possession with a recovery, the chains were moved with a penalty and Dahl gained a first down with a sweep to the Railroaders’ 25.
Ramirez dropped a ball carrier for a loss of five, but freshman Justice Nelson pulled down a 30-yard touchdown strike from Morrison on a post.
Hall ran for the conversion, making the score 34-14 with 1:22 on the clock.
But, Carlin answered quickly — recovering an onside that did not travel 10 yards.
Kerby caught a ball across the middle at the 23, and Huntley snagged a 23-yard TD down the left sideline with 17.5 ticks on the clock.
The conversion was stuffed by junior Cade Cromley and Dahl, but the Railroaders ripped open a 40-14 lead by the break.
Wells started its opening drive of the third quarter with a big return by Glascock after a handoff from senior Cesar Berumen — aided by a face mask penalty — setting up shop at the Carlin 32.
But, the Leopards turned the ball over on downs at the 26.
Penalties killed Carlin’s drive, and a punt traveled short to the 39.
A horse-collar tackle moved the chains, and Glascock reeled in a 23-yard touchdown on a post to the left side.
The conversion was incomplete as Huntley applied a hit as the ball was thrown, but the Leopards inched to within 20 at 40-20 with 6:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Wells’ defense forced a turnover on downs — sophomore Henry Morris and Glascock and Uhlig sticking ball carriers for no gains on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 — taking over at the Carlin 40.
But, the Leopards were forced to punt with a sack by Huntley on 3rd-and-15.
From their own 20, the Railroaders moved the ball down the field with a pair of big runs — Ramirez galloping to the Wells 40 and Lewis carrying to the 28.
After a taunting penalty, Carlin reached the 23 with a run by Krantz.
Lewis picked up a first down at the 16, but the drive ended with an interception on a nice play by Dahl at the 2.
However — after a near safety on a tackle by Ramirez and Huntley — Wells gave away two points with a bad snap in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Starting its next drive at midfield, Carlin went backward with a holding penalty and a tackle for a loss by Luis Martinez.
The Railroaders executed aa perfect screen to Huntley, who gained 52 yards to the Wells 10.
Carlin capped the drive with a six-yard wildcat plunge by Ramirez and a two-point conversion from Krantz to Kerby.
With 9:48 on the clock, the margin increased to 50-20.
Uhlig gained a first down to the Carlin 39, but Kerby made a tackle for a loss.
Lewis picked off a pass to the 31, but senior Jake Glascock recovered a fumble at the Carlin 40 — two turnovers taking place in three plays.
Glascock worked back to the football for a catch at the 20, then moved the chains with another remarkable reception on 4th-and-28 — going up and getting the ball at the 5.
Wells’ final points were tacked on with a five-yard touchdown throw from Morrison to Uhlig and a nice effort by Hall as he fully extended the ball across the line at the right pylon on the conversion with 3:12 on the clock.
The Leopards played a better second half but fell to the Railroaders for the second time by a final score of 50-28, the game ending with a tackle for a loss by junior Jacob Stucki and a combined sack for freshmen Hayden Grondin and Max Burgener.
Up Next
Carlin (4-1 overall, 3-1 in league) will travel and play the Vandals (3-3 overall, 2-1 in league) at 7 p.m. Friday, in Eureka.
The Leopards (1-4 overall, 1-3 in league) will host a non-varsity opponent at 11 a.m. Friday, in Wells.