| Josh Eden carries the ball around the corner as Luke Stoddard blocks for him. |
On an almost perfect October night before an avid homecoming crowd, the Emery Spartans blasted the Granite Farmers for their first football victory of the season. The score last Thursday night was 57-6.
With the win, Emery now matches up with the Carbon Dinos for the fourth and final playoff spot this Wednesday night in Price. Since both teams are tied in region play, this game will determine the future plans of both teams. The winner travels north to the winner of Region 10 next week while the loser is through for the season.
Against Granite, Emery scored every time they had the ball with the lone exception of the very last drive when there was a fumble on a handoff with the JV team on the field.
Emery marched 60 yards in the opening drive of the game and scored on a 5-yard run by Josh Eden. Eden had four carries in the drive for 31 yards.
After holding Granite to 26 yards, Tyler Swenson returned a Farmer punt 30 yards to set up Emery’s offense at the Granite 24-yard line. Zac Jensen scored on the fifth play of the drive to put Emery up 14-0.
Granite then mishandled the kickoff, was tackled at their own 4-yard line and then fumbled the ball to Emery. Dave Justice scored on the second play putting Emery up 22-0 as Justice also scored on a 2-point conversion.
Granite then mounted their only drive of the night as they marched 59 yards to the Emery goal line. They scored on a 17-yard pass.
Emery added three more first half touchdowns to lead 42-6 at the half. Tanner Gardner scored on a 2-yard run to end an Emery 66 yard drive, Damon Downing through a 46-yard touchdown pass to Trever Thompson and Justice scored again on a 5-yard run. The last score was set up by another punt return by Swenson, this time for forty yards.
Both teams played the second half under the speed-up rule, which basically says that the clock keeps running. Emery only had two possessions in the half other than the one fumbled away as the clock ran out.
On the first drive, Emery scored on a 7-yard pass from Justice to Landon Thomas and on the other drive, Emery scored on a 3-yard run by fullback Luke Stoddard.
Emery was a perfect 6 for 6 in the passing department as Justice completed 2 to Eden and 1 apiece to Thomas and Thompson. Downing completed his only pass to Thompson and Eden through a halfback pass To Swenson for 18 yards.
Emery will need to be equally excited about playing Carbon this week to move on into the play-offs. Following a well played game against North Sanpete, that was a way closer than expected loss, and the win over Granite, Emery fans are now looking forward to good things from this maturing bunch of athletes.
Good luck at Carbon.