The Emery High Spartan football team hosted the Richfield Wildcats in the opening game of the 2018 football season last Friday night and the visitors left town with a 42-9 victory.
Emery received the opening kickoff, returned the kick to the Spartan 25-yard line on a return by Jaymes Bowman and the Emery team ran nine plays before the drive stalled. Emery’s Brock Winter then attempted a 40-yard field goal, made it and Emery had the first lead of the season at 3-0.
Unfortunately for the home team though, Richfield then scored three times in the first half and led 20-3 at the half. The Wildcats went 75 yards for their first score on their first drive of the season and led 7-3. Richfield had a short field the next series and scored on a 38-yard drive and led 13-3 after the extra point attempt was blocked by Ashton Rowley.
The Wildcats scored on their final first-half drive to get to the halftime score.
Richfield then scored on their first three drives of the second half to put the game away. Emery scored on their third to last drive, a drive that started at the Spartan 27-yard line. Rance Jensen picked up 4 yards on the ground followed by a 29-yard pass to Jeremy Brennan and a 15-yard penalty. Jensen then carried the ball twice for 12 yards and then Szion Gibson scored on a 13-yard pass from quarterback Kyson Stilson. The extra point attempt was blocked.
Stilson completed 11 of 20 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Jensen led on the ground with 12 carries for 33 yards.
On defense Daeden Behling had 13 tackles followed by Teagan Christman with 10 tackles. Jensen had 8 tackles and Rowley and Jesse Barnett each had 6 tackles.
The Spartans travel to Moab this Friday night to play the Grand Red Devils. Grand lost at Morgan last weekend.
Emery football home opener with Wildcats
Szion Gibson makes the catch for Emery. Patsy Stoddard, Editor