Anthony Mori
Elko Daily Free Press
October 9, 2026
WELLS — On Thursday night, the Wells football team led Carlin 6-0 after the first quarter.
But the Railroaders wore down the Leopards and closed the game on a 30-0 run for a commanding 30-6 victory in a standings-swinging contest.
Carlin’s first drive was the second possession of the game. It ended with an interception as Wells junior Justice Nelson picked off a middle screen and returned the ball to the Railroaders’ 22-yard line.
He converted a fourth-and-4 with a wildcat carry and capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.
The conversion failed as Wells attempted to run a reverse, which was snuffed out by Carlin sophomore Hugh Reed.
With 1:07 on the clock, the Leopards led 6-0 but were shut out for the remainder of the contest.
In the second quarter, Wells turned the ball over on a botched reverse, and junior Max Burgener jumped on the fumble recovery at the Leopards’ 35.
On fourth-and-4, the Railroaders gave the ball back after reaching the sticks as Wells junior Cade Sampson pounced on the loose ball at the 21.
Wells turned the ball over on downs on fourth-and-6 with an incomplete pass, and Carlin took control in great field position at the Leopards’ 25. Sophomore Caston Stanfill ran for a first down with carries of 5 and 12 yards to the Wells 8.
Sophomore quarterback Ashton Kerby rushed for 4 yards and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Kerby rolled to his right and reached the pylon on the two-point conversion and put Carlin on top at 8-6 with 1:41 remaining in the second quarter.
On their first possession of the third quarter, the Railroaders marched 74 yards in six plays.
Junior Tommy Loftin broke a big run on an end-around and was hit late out bounds, moving the ball to the Wells 45, and Stanfill was patient on a carry off the right side to the 34 for a first down.
Stanfill took a toss play to the right side to the 16, where Kerby scored on a draw off the right edge.
Kerby connected with sophomore Ben Asman for the conversion and made the score 16-6 with 8:27 remaining in the third quarter.
On Carlin’s next drive, the Roaders went 54 yards in four plays.
With the pass falling incomplete, all of the drive's yards came on the ground. Stanfill broke free on a delayed run to the Wells 30-yard line, then scored on a toss to the left on the next play. The conversion fell incomplete, but Carlin increased its lead to 22-6 with 5:28 on the clock.
Sophomore TJ Anthony recovered the onside kick at midfield, but Carlin turned the ball over on downs at the Wells 20.
The Leopards gave the ball back on downs at the 50, and the Roaders provided the final points of the game in eight plays on the ground.
Stanfill ran for a first down as he pushed a crowd to the 38, moved the chains with a toss to the right at the 27 and did so again at the Wells 17.
Kerby gained a first down and nearly scored on a run to the 1, but the Leopards stiffened and forced a fourth-and-goal with a big stick by freshman Jesse Popejoy.
However, Kerby threw a 4-yard touchdown to Asman — who left wide open in the end zone.
Stanfill walked in for the conversion and capped Carlin’s 30-6 victory at the 6:13 mark of the fourth quarter.
Up Next
The Leopards (4-3, 3-2 in league) will host Pyramid Lake (1-5, 1-4 in league) at 7 p.m. Thursday in Wells.