Cougars shake off mistakes to beat Eagles
By Mike Hoffman Contributing sportswriter

Carroll's Drew Yoder ran the ball several times for the Cougars Saturday afternoon, including one 10-yard TD run. The Cougars remain undefeated after beating the Fremont Eagles 40-14. Photo provided

Despite a lot of mistakes by the Cougars, when the horn sounded at the end of the game Carroll was 4-0 after defeating the Fremont Eagles 40-14.

The referees called 19 flags for 190 yards on both teams; a few of them were questionable. Of those penalties, 11 were called against the Cougars for a total of 120 yards, most for holding penalties.

The Cougars received the opening kickoff. On their first possession they fumbled the football on third down, with the Eagles recovering the ball on the 26-yard line. Fremont could not move the football and elected to go for a field goal. However the kick went right behind strong W-SW winds.

The Cougars could not move the ball and were forced to punt. Riley Eller got the ball back for Carroll when he intercepted a Fremont pass. The Cougars went 4 and out.

Fremont had problems running against the front wall of the Cougar defense, however they did find success going around the ends.

The Cougars finally found the end zone in the second quarter when Eller found Skylar Bagwell for a 43-yard touchdown pass at 9:03. The PAT kick was blocked and it was 6-0 CHS.

The Cougars stiffened their defense. After a big hit by Drake Harper, then a hit by Brandon Williamson and a hit by Eller, the Eagles were forced to punt. A not so good punt into the wind gave the Cougars great field possession.

Two major penalties were called against Carroll for holding, but Eller came through when he found Carson Spesard for a 24-yard TD pass play. The two-point conversion was no good. By halftime the score was still 12-0, Carroll.

The Cougars started pulling it all together in the third quarter. They put 21 points on the scoreboard. Drew Yoder scored on a 10- yard run and the 2 point conversion was good. Ben Bennington scored on a 23- yard TD run. The 2-point conversion failed.

Fremont got its first score on a 65-yard kickoff return by Kenny Wren. Carroll blocked the PAT and the score was 25- 6 CHS.

The Cougars bounced right back. Bennington scored again, this time on a 33-yard run. Bagwell kicked the PAT and the score was 33-6 CHS as the third quarter came to a close.

In the fourth quarter the Cougars scored again when Eller found Spesard for an 18-yard TD pass.

Fremont countered with the last score of the game when Jared Swager found Kenny Wren on a 45-yard TD pass. Swager ran it in for the 2- point conversion play, as the final score was 40-14 CHS.

Bennington did the heavy work for Carroll carrying the football 19 times for 141 yards with 2 TDs. Eller was 10-19-1 for 194 yards and 3 passing TDs. Spesard caught 3 passes for 58 yards and 2 TDs and Skylar Bagwell caught 2 passes for 59 yards and 1 TD.

Jonathan Bush with 16 tackles led the defense, Brandon Williamson and Thomas Gillam split 20 tackles. Eller also had 8 tackles and 2 interceptions.

The Cougars have a big test Friday night when they play the Class A 7th ranked Central Catholic Knights. The defense will have to contain a very good Knight QB, Chris Mills. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. at the LCC field.