Lady Spartans finish season at state tourney

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports writer

The Richfield High Lady Wildcats won the recently completed 3-A State girls basketball title despite finishing second in Region 12 behind the Emery High Lady Spartans. Richfield defeated Union 53-48 in the championship game. Canyon View High defeated Juab High 35-23 in the game for third and fourth. Carbon High defeated Wasatch 35-33 in the consolation championship game to take fifth.
The Emery High Lady Spartan basketball team, the Region 12 season champion and the possessor of a 21-1 record, lost to those same Union Cougars in the quarterfinals by a score of 51-46. The next day Emery played in a consolation game and lost to the Carbon Dinos 56-39. The Emery stay at state was far shorter than anticipated.
Union High, despite being not as tall as Emery, won the rebound battle in their game by almost 2-1. Emery was out rebounded in the first half 19-7. Although the second half was a little better, it was not enough to overtake the Cougar team. Emery also missed numerous shots taken within two feet of the basket as they could not get much going inside.
Emery led at 2-0 in the first quarter and never led again in this game. Union’s biggest lead came at 42-31 midway through the final period. Emery did cut their deficit to three points at the end of the period at 46-42 and 48-45 but could never claim the lead.
Taylor Mann was the leading scorer in the game with 13 points and Taylor also pulled down three rebounds and had four blocked shots before she fouled out of the game. Jessica Murray scored 11 points to be the only other Spartan in double figures. Abbie Kay scored six points, Tayler Jewkes, Brooke Jensen and Markette Tanner all scored four points and Jenni Stinson and Blayr Jeffs each scored two points.
On Friday against Carbon, Emery trailed Carbon at the half 17-21 after leading after the first quarter 7-5. In the second half, it was all Carbon. Emery narrowed their deficit to two points at 19-21 but the Lady Dinos scored the next 11 points to build their lead to 32-19 and eventually won the third quarter 18-12. Emery scored the first four points of the final period to narrow the lead to six points but Carbon then built their lead back to 13 points as they scored the next seven points.
Emery was nine for 20 at the free throw line in the game and had numerous unforced turnovers.
Mann scored 12 points in the game to lead the team with Jensen next with 10 points. Kay scored seven points and Murray and Jeffs each scored five points.