Carson gearing up for Mater Dei

It's one of those games that's been circled on the calendar for months.

Carson opens its football season in style with a Wednesday night game on Sept. 3 against Mater Dei in a nationally televised game on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. from Long Beach Vets.

The game pits future USC teammates in Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley and Carson tight end Morrell Presley.

Carson coach Mike Christensen said Sunday he will begin his game-week preparation on a rare Wednesday, even though there's still several days left on the August calendar.

"Our Wednesday will be like a Monday," Christensen said. "It's early, but we have to be ready."

Carson already has taken a bus to play an intersquad football game at Home Depot Center.  Christensen wanted to give his youngsters a chance to get a feel of what a big game would feel like. 

Will running back Dion Willis be the next Jack Sula? Can Carson's offensive line reclaim its title as the biggest, baddest line of the South Bay?  Those questions and more will be answered soon as Carson takes on a brutal schedule that also includes Serra, Redlands and Long Beach Poly.

"As long as we're there in Week 14," Christensen said.

Carson usually finds a way to be playing that week.