Carbon High used a few big plays from Garrett Blanc, capitalized on a handful of Grand High turnovers and withstood a lightning delay to pick up a season opening 30-12 win on Friday night at the CHS Football Stadium.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Carbon players, students and cheerleaders celebrated at midfield as the rain, which shifted from light to heavy through much of the second half, and lightning picked up around the area.
Blanc, a senior who missed much of last season after suffering a concussion, scored on a 54-yard pass from quarterback Jarod Lessar on the team’s first drive of the season and later added a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown on defense in the first half to give Carbon a 14-6 lead heading into halftime.
Lessar rushed for two touchdowns, including a two-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that put Carbon ahead 21-6.
Carbon’s defense held tough against a Grand attack that used fly sweeps and read-option plays to gain yards on the ground. But after a weather delay of over 30 minutes due to lightning that sent players to the locker rooms and fans scrambling for any kind of cover from the rain, Grand scored on a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tanner White to Josh Staples on the team’s first play after the restart. However, the Carbon defense stopped the two-point conversion attempt to make it 21-12 with over seven minutes left.
After the Carbon offense stalled on their next drive, Lessar, who also serves as the team’s punter, used a big kick to pin Grand back at their own two-yard line. On the next play, Carbon’s Oakley Bagley sacked White in the endzone for a safety to make it 23-12. Carbon took advantage of another Grand error as Dallyn Mower recovered a fumble on a muffed punt catch at the Grand four-yard line. Lessar scored on his second rushing touchdown from two yards out to give Carbon a commanding 30-12 lead with over two minutes left.
Grand would suffer another turnover just moments later as Carbon safety Logan Olsen jarred loose a catch by a Grand receiver and linebacker Rylon Brinkerhoff recovered the fumble to seal the victory for the Dinos.
Carbon, 1-0 overall, will travel next Friday as they take on 2A’s American Leadership Academy at 7 p.m. in Spanish Fork.
See more information about Carbon’s season opening win over Grand in Tuesday’s edition of the Sun Advocate.
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