IRVING – As Carrollton Creekview rolled to a season-opening 38-17 victory over Irving Nimitz on Thursday, a few things became clear for both teams.
Creekview, which demonstrated alertness and an ability to spread the ball all over the field, looked like a team in midseason form.
Junior quarterback Scotty Grau was in complete control, rushing nine times for 126 yards and two touchdowns and completing four of seven passes for 51 yards with one interception.
Nimitz, meanwhile, might need to go back to the drawing board on several fronts.
It had 10 penalties for 95 yards, fumbled five times and never could get a consistent rhythm on offense as it switched between starter Caleb Queen and senior Anthony Charles at quarterback.
Charles fared better than Queen, completing seven of nine passes for 156 yards.
But the end zone was elusive for Nimitz, compared to the ease with with Creekview found it.
Nimitz was besieged with penalties, with six in the first quarter alone. Back-to-back personal foul calls moved Creekview from its 25 to Nimitz's 40-yard line in less than a minute. Two plays later, junior running back James Johnson scampered into the end zone and Creekview owned a 7-0 lead.
A blocked punt by junior linebacker Andrew Casteal set up Creekview's next touchdown, a 13-yard run by senior Fred Tucker late in the first quarter.
TOM FOX/DMN
Carrollton Creekview tight end Tyler Fox picks up extra yardage as a Nimitz defender tries to drag him down.
Nimitz trailed by a touchdown at halftime, but fumbled the second-half kickoff.
On the next play, Grau rushed 10 yards for his first touchdown.
Nimitz had a few highlights to build on, such as senior wide receiver Adrian Thompson's 65-yard touchdown catch.
But it came too late to make an impact, and Creekview simply ran out the clock.
