Elite company: Carter hits rare milestone, Stewart stars as Mikes blast Avella
Carmichaels鈥� Trenton Carter (2) celebrates his touchdown against Charleroi with Christopher Mincer at Myron Pottios Stadium on Sept. 3. Carter became the 12th player in WPIAL to go over 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing in the same season during the Mikes鈥� 63-22 win over Avella on Friday night. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Carmichaels鈥� Michael Stewart leaps to haul in a pass against West Greene during a game at Kennedy Field on Oct. 1. Stewart scored two touchdowns and kicked five extra points in the Mikes鈥� 63-22 victory over Avella on Friday night. (Photo by Mark Marietta)
Carmichaels rode its potent one-two punch of Trenton Carter and Michael Stewart to a convincing 63-22 Tri-County South victory over Avella last Friday night.
When it was over, Carter found himself in rare company.
The Carmichaels senior completed all six of his passes for 66 yards and a touchdown 鈥� to Stewart 鈥� and ran for 170 yards and two TDs to put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season. Carter had already surpassed 1,000 passing yards.
Carter became only the 12th player in WPIAL history to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing in a single season.
Carter put all his talents on display against the Eagles (1-5, 1-8) in helping the second-place Mikes improve to 5-1 in the conference and 7-2 overall.
Carmichaels鈥� first score, a 30-yard touchdown pass to Stewart in the first quarter, was a thing of beauty, according to Mikes coach Ron Gallagher.
鈥淲e were in a fourth-and-13 on their 30 and we ran a wheel route to Michael Stewart,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淭renton rolled out to the right and he launched this pass and this ball was so high in the air I actually lost it for a second because it was up in the lights. It came down right in Mike蘑菇视频 hands for a touchdown.鈥�
Carmichaels rolled from there.
Peyton Schooley蘑菇视频 38-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was followed by a 30-yard TD burst by Carter early in the second quarter for a 20-0 Mikes lead.
Brandon Samol gave Avella a glimmer of hope when he returned the ensuing kickoff 77 yards for a touchdown to make it 20-6.
Carmichaels fired right back with touchdown runs of 50 yards by Cody McCoy, 34 yard by Alec Anderson, 70 yards by Carter and 39 yards by Stewart to put the hosts up 48-6 at halftime.
KJ Rush蘑菇视频 4-yard TD run and two-point conversion run got the Eagles within 48-16 but Tyler Richmond cancelled that score out with an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and McCoy added a 21-yard TD run later in the third quarter.
Avella finished up the scoring in the fourth quarter on Noah Markle蘑菇视频 12-run yard touchdown run with Rush again running in the two-pointer.
Gallagher lauded his dynamic duo.
鈥淭renton and Mike have been doing this since midget football and they are like best friends, too,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e got this connection on the field.鈥�
Carter蘑菇视频 versatility makes the Mikes鈥� offense go.
鈥淭renton sees the field, he throws the ball well, he can run and he helps us run a balanced offense,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淎s a runner he has some speed but nothing extraordinary, it蘑菇视频 more that he蘑菇视频 a big, powerful guy. We run lead with him, we run him up the middle, we run him outside. He can pretty much run the same game as a running back would. It蘑菇视频 like a wildcat with your quarterback.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 a very tough runner and he runs downhill. After contact he蘑菇视频 going three or four more yards.鈥�
Despite his outstanding accomplishments, Carter isn鈥檛 one to toot his own horn.
鈥淭he thing about Trenton is he蘑菇视频 not much for the spotlight, he蘑菇视频 more of a team guy,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淲hen he hit that record he wanted his picture taken with the team, not by himself. That蘑菇视频 the kind of player he is. He蘑菇视频 a heck of a leader and a smart kid. We have a very complex offense and he runs the show.鈥�
Carter is also a great defensive player which sometimes gets overshadowed by his offensive exploits.
鈥淗e also plays linebacker,鈥� Gallagher pointed out. 鈥淭hat蘑菇视频 another thing that is impressive about him. If you go to Hudl to see his highlights the first couple are of him tackling people. He loves to hit. He蘑菇视频 a different breed.鈥�
Stewart, like Carter, plays both ways and is very versatile.
鈥淢ike is a difference maker,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淵ou line him up at tailback, you line him up in the slot, we run the jet (sweep) with him, we throw passes to him. He does it all. It蘑菇视频 nice to move him all over the field and figure out how to get the ball in his hands.鈥�
Stewart is also Carmichaels鈥� kicker. He booted five extra points against Avella.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 one of those guys who蘑菇视频 good at everything,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淚 was down the library one day and started watching him playing ping pong and I was like, man, he蘑菇视频 good at that, too. He has natural ability, he competes and he likes to win.鈥�
Stewart蘑菇视频 mentality has changed for the better over the past few years.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 come a long way,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淓arly in his career as a freshman and a sophomore he made some plays but he lacked a little bit of confidence. He didn鈥檛 want to be that guy. He鈥檇 kind of get down on himself.
鈥淭his year that蘑菇视频 all changed. He蘑菇视频 so much more confident. He蘑菇视频 kept his head in the game and now he蘑菇视频 tapping me on the shoulder asking me to give him the ball. He has that edge to him now.鈥�
The Mikes鈥� have another record breaker on their team who hasn鈥檛 gotten the attention that Carter and Stewart have. Despite playing in a run-heavy conference, Parker Hyatt has recorded 14 sacks this season which is believed to be a school record.
鈥淲hen we get a team in third and long, that蘑菇视频 Parker蘑菇视频 time, he knows how to get to the quarterback,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淗e蘑菇视频 relentless when he蘑菇视频 pass rushing. He蘑菇视频 a quick guy off the ball and he uses his hands really well. Everything we teach him he puts into play. He蘑菇视频 got this burst to him that makes him tough to handle coming off the side. He only played in about four or five games last year and he still had four or five sacks so I knew he was that type of guy but didn鈥檛 envision him having 14 at this point of the season.鈥�
The trio have helped the playoff-bound Mikes put together a highly successful season.
鈥淚鈥檓 proud of all three of those guys, and the whole team really,鈥� Gallagher said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had a pretty good year and we want to keep it going.鈥�