CARSON, Ca — Two football programs entered Friday night’s matchup with undefeated league records, but only one would leave with another victory.
The Carson Colts handed Mary Star of the Sea of San Pedro its first loss of the season, securing a thrilling 45-42 victory with a late field goal. Both teams finished the regular season 9-1.
It was a battle of contrasting strengths. Carson brought speed and explosive offensive weapons, while Mary Star challenged the Colts with size, physicality and grit.
But beyond the scoreboard, the matchup tested something equally important: discipline, composure and the ability to respond when adversity threatened to change the game’s momentum.
Mary Star Sets the Tone Early
Mary Star came out aggressive, showing why it entered the matchup undefeated.
Facing fourth-and-13 on its opening possession, the Stars kept their drive alive before quarterback Ian Ditch connected with Mahki Huff on a 40-yard touchdown pass, giving Mary Star an early 6-0 lead.
Ditch was particularly impressive with his awareness of time, positioning and ability to make decisions under pressure. His offensive line provided the protection he needed to survey the field and deliver passes, while his ability to run the ball himself presented another challenge for Carson’s defense.
Mary Star’s size, physicality and gritty plays kept the pressure on Carson throughout the night, forcing the Colts to fight for every opportunity in a hard-fought battle between two competitive programs.
Carson’s Speed Makes a Statement
Carson answered with an offense capable of changing the momentum in seconds.
Quarterback Chris Fields III accounted for multiple touchdowns, while Nick Sandoval, Nathan Williams and Darren Panton contributed to the Colts’ scoring attack.
Panton, wearing No. 8, delivered one of the night’s most explosive moments with a reported 98-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.
Carson’s speed continued to challenge Mary Star’s defense, but the Stars refused to go away.
The game ultimately came down to sophomore kicker Monico Flores-Segovia, No. 80, who delivered the decisive field goal, reported at 43 yards, to secure Carson’s three-point victory.
Composure Through Adversity
Carson head coach William Lowe understood the challenge of facing an undefeated opponent.
“We don’t want to ride an emotional roller coaster all game,” Lowe said. “We just want to focus on one play at a time and playing with great effort and doing our job on every play.”
The physical nature of the game created moments when emotions could have taken over.
Several plays also raised questions about player safety and the importance of officials recognizing potentially dangerous contact. While football is inherently physical, protecting young athletes remains an essential responsibility shared by coaches, players and officials.
Lowe emphasized the importance of controlling what his team could control.
“I tell our kids all the time that the only team that will beat us this year is ourselves,” Lowe said.
Coaching Beyond the Scoreboard
Defensive coordinator Jeff Johnson, known as Coach Goob, acknowledged that Mary Star exposed areas Carson needs to improve.
The Colts surrendered a season-high 42 points, with Johnson pointing to dropped interceptions, missed tackles and penalties as contributing factors.
Mary Star’s misdirection also challenged Carson’s defensive discipline and gap assignments.
Johnson said the responsibility of coaching extends beyond simply identifying mistakes.
“Our job as coaches is to build their confidence while holding them accountable,” Johnson said.
That philosophy becomes especially important when young athletes make mistakes that can affect an entire team.
Rather than allowing one penalty or missed assignment to define a player’s performance, Johnson emphasized correcting the mistake and preparing for the next opportunity.
His approach also reflects the trust Lowe places in his coaching staff, allowing coordinators the freedom to manage their units while maintaining consistent expectations throughout the program.
Lowe acknowledged the need for improvement despite the victory.
“We made some adjustments at halftime which helped us offensively,” Lowe said. “We struggled a bit defensively but that was good for us going into the playoffs because now we know what we have to work on.”
The Lessons of Last Season
For Carson, Friday’s victory carried another layer of meaning.
Last December, the Colts’ season ended with a heartbreaking 35-33 loss to Kennedy-Delano in the CIF State Division 3-A regional championship.
Following that defeat, Carson’s seniors gathered their younger teammates and encouraged them to remember the disappointment, learn from their mistakes and continue the standard they had rebuilt.
Nearly a year later, those lessons remain relevant.
Carson enters the postseason riding a seven-game winning streak, but Friday’s narrow victory served as a reminder that talent alone will not carry a team through the playoffs.
With a bye week before its anticipated matchup against Palisades, Carson has an opportunity to address the weaknesses exposed against Mary Star.
For the Colts, the mission remains unfinished.
The speed is there. The talent is there. The ability to win a close game has been demonstrated.
Now the challenge is turning mistakes into lessons, discipline into consistency and another successful regular season into a deeper postseason run.
Last season ended two points short.
This season, Carson has another opportunity to finish the story.