A region 12 loss last Thursday night to the Delta Rabbits in Delta has put the Spartans into a hole. Last week, Emery was in a tie for second with Delta and Juab behind first place team Manti, now Emery stands alone in fourth place with the loss.
Emery lost to Delta 24-13.
Last week, besides the Emery-Delta game, Juab defeated Manti to give the Templars their first region loss of the season and Richfield defeated North Sanpete in a battle of winless region teams. Now Manti, Juab and Delta stand atop the region standings with 3-1 records with Emery at 2-2, Richfield at 1-3 and North Sanpete at 0-4.
This week Delta and Juab play with the winner assured at least a tie for the region championship. Manti can claim a tie of that championship with a win over Richfield. With a win over the Hawks, Emery would assure themselves of a tie for third place and would share a tie for second if Richfield upset Manti. The Spartans really need a victory this week at Mt. Pleasant.
At Delta last week, Emery was able to score first in the game. After holding the Rabbits on their first series and forcing a Rabbit punt, Emery took over on their own 14-yard line and proceeded to score in six plays. After Taylor Cox and JT Noyes each picked up a yard on a carry, Derek Tuttle connected on a pass with Cox on a play that covered 18 yards. After short runs again by Cox and Noyes, a Rabbit pass interference call gave Emery a first down at the Delta 47-yard line. Tuttle connected with Kashe Potter for the touchdown and with the Brian Clark extra point, Emery led 7-0.
Each team punted on their next series and then Delta tied the score with a 65-yard drive with all yardage coming on the ground. Emery then fumbled the ball away at their own 15-yard line to put themselves in a big hole. Delta returned the favor by fumbling the ball right back at the Emery 11-yard line and the Spartans avoided getting behind. Derrick Allred recovered the fumble for Emery. On Delta’s next series, Noyes intercepted a Delta pass after lineman Tanner Procarione deflected the thrown ball. The score was 7-7 at the half.
Emery received the kick-off to start the second half of play and after picking up one first down; Emery threw an interception at their 32-yard line. Delta kicked a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter to grab the lead for the first time in the game and led 10-7 after three periods of play after not being able to pick up any yards on the Spartans.
Emery, in their next offensive series, marched from their 20-yard line to the Rabbit 35-yard line to threaten to take back the lead. This drive consisted of 14 plays. With first and 10, Emery lost six yards on a run, lost another five yards on a penalty, threw two incomplete passes and gained nothing on another run to turn the ball over to Delta on downs.
Delta took over and scored nine plays later on a 12-yard run by their quarterback. After Emery punted on their next series, Delta scored again to lead 24-7. Emery then scored on their last series of the game as the Spartans went 80 yards in 11 plays to score on Tuttle to Dusty Jensen pass play that covered 24 yards. Tuttle also completed passes of 12 yards to Procarione, nine yards also to Jensen and a pass to Potter, which he then lateraled to Noyes. The play covered 32 yards.
After the game Coach Jimmy Jones talked to his players, “You played hard, that was a good job. Delta executed well on both sides of the ball, Delta played well.”
Jones then looked ahead to this week’s game, “North Sanpete is a big game. We need to take care of business in that game. We need to have a great week next week.”
With a win, Emery ensures themselves they will make the play-offs. The game is Friday night at North Sanpete in Mt. Pleasant. Game time is 7 p.m.
Spartans lose match-up in Delta
"Tanner Procarione tries to get his hands on the pass."