WAUKESHA, Wis. – The Old Musket is back in Waukesha.
Carroll University turned in one of its strongest defensive performances in recent memory on Saturday night, shutting out rival Carthage 20-0 at Schneider Stadium in the 49th Battle for the Old Musket. The victory improved the Pioneers to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in CCIW play while returning the rivalry trophy to Carroll's possession.
The Pioneers were dominant from the opening possession. On Carthage's third offensive play of the game, Carroll came away with an interception that set the tone for a night controlled by the Pioneer defense. That unit would go on to force three interceptions, recover a fumble, and limit the Firebirds to just 145 yards of total offense. Carthage managed only 83 passing yards and was held without a score for the second straight week by the Carroll defense.
After both teams traded punts through much of the first quarter, Carroll finally broke through with an impressive 90-yard drive that began at its own five-yard line. Marcus Johnson jump-started the march with a 23-yard run before Elisha Nieves connected with Liam Patrick on a 37-yard pass that moved the Pioneers into scoring position. The drive ended with Matthew Swink converting a 22-yard field goal as time expired in the opening quarter to give Carroll a 3-0 advantage.
The Carroll defense continued to dictate the action throughout the second quarter. Pinned at their own one-yard line after a strong punt from Beau Veit, the Firebirds were unable to escape their end of the field. A short Carroll field later resulted in the first touchdown of the night when Nieves powered across the goal line from one yard out with 2:53 remaining before halftime. Swink's extra point gave the Pioneers a 10-0 lead heading into the break.
Carroll maintained control after halftime. A muffed punt recovered by the Pioneers led to another scoring opportunity, and Swink connected on a 30-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 13-0. Although the offense was not explosive statistically, it consistently controlled field position and possession, holding the ball for 34 minutes and finishing with 222 yards of offense.
The defense never allowed Carthage to generate sustained momentum. The Firebirds converted just one of 16 third-down attempts and failed on five of six fourth-down tries. Whenever Carthage threatened, the Pioneers came up with a sack, turnover, or key stop to halt the drive.
The defining statistic of the night was Carroll's pass rush. The Pioneers tied a school record with eight sacks, totaling 41 yards lost. August Johansen led the way with three sacks and four tackles for loss, while Kevin Williams added 2.5 sacks. Andrew Redmon and Jakai Witt each recorded a sack, and Javion Kunz contributed a half sack to complete the record-tying effort.
Carroll added the final points of the evening with 2:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. Starting at the Carthage 25-yard line following a defensive stop, the Pioneers marched six plays before Johnson plunged in from one yard out on fourth down to push the lead to 20-0.
Patrick led Carroll's receiving corps with six catches for 79 yards, while Johnson finished with 40 rushing yards and a touchdown. Nieves completed 19 of 32 passes for 150 yards and added a rushing score.
By the end of the night, the Pioneers had accomplished everything they set out to do: secure a conference win, post a second consecutive shutout, tie the program record for sacks, and bring the Old Musket back to Carroll.
