Emery softball finishes season 2-2 at state

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports writer

The 2010 3-A softball season came to a close with the same conclusion as the last two years and that was with the Bear River High School Bears being crowned state champion behind the pitching of Josie Summers.
Bear River won the title game over region 12 champion North Sanpete 8-1. The Bears were dominant throughout the tournament and throughout the season. In the championship game, North Sanpete only managed to get two base hits as they were kept off balance by Summers, a signee at Utah Valley University to play softball next season.
After splitting games in the opening weekend, the Emery High Lady Spartans went to Taylorsville and split games the next week. Emery defeated the south region champion, Canyon View, on Thursday 5-3 and then lost to Manti 5-0 on Friday.
This was only the second time in the last few years that Emery has actually made it to the site of the state tournament as the Spartans finished the season 14-11. Many of the games Emery lost this season were either close games that could have gone either way or games that were lost in the last inning.
Emery, this season, actually defeated two region champions in games and came close against a third. This season’s squad consisted of five seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and 10 freshmen. Emery’s pitchers this season were all either sophomores or freshmen. It promises to be an exciting season next year for the Emery softball program.
In the game against Canyon View, Emery fell behind in the first inning 1-0 but the Spartans scored four runs in the top of the second inning to grab the lead, which then turned out to be for good. In that inning, Michelle Oliver led off with a single to centerfield followed by a sacrifice bunt by Shelby Mason. Danavin Reed walked, Whitney Roper singled, Abbie Kay singled and then all four of these girls would score. Markette Tanner and Gabby Guymon also would single in the inning to pick up RBIs. Emery had nine base hits in the game with five of them coming in this inning.
Canyon View scored twice more in the bottom of the second inning but never had another serious opportunity to score. Roper pitched the complete game for Emery to get the win. Roper gave up six hits in the game. Guymon finished off the Emery scoring with a home run in the top of the seventh inning.
Roper also pitched the Friday game but four errors by Emery won the game for the Templars. Roper gave up five hits against Manti, the fewest that Manti had got in three games. Manti had no earned runs in the game.
Emery never played a single game this season that weather wasn’t a factor. Even on Friday, thunderstorms and wind and cold kept the players, the fans and the coaches in many layers of clothing. Playing in mid-May or playing in St. George didn’t matter, as cold and wind were always present.
Gabby Guymon, Abbie Kay, Danavin Reed, Mackenzie Grange and Michelle Oliver have all played their last games for the Spartans but will be remembered both for their abilities and their antics. While each was very solid on the field, each was also not afraid to have a good time in the dugout and at practice. They will be missed.