| Jodi Robertson and Meagan Pearson head after the North Sanpete Hawk as she brings the ball down court. |
The Lady Spartans of Emery High finished the first half of region 8 basketball undefeated and in good position to win the region championship this season. Last week, Emery first defeated a feisty Carbon Dino team in Price by a score of 53-39 and then Emery hosted the North Sanpete Hawks and sent the Hawks home with a 78-40 drubbing. It was a good week for the Lady Spartans.
More important than the wins last week were the way they came about. After having struggled early in this season to find their identity, the Lady Spartans are finally a team. I think the Spartans have finally figured out that this season�s team is as good or better than last season�s team. Good things await.
Senior Meagan Pearson and junior Jodi Robertson paced the team in scoring last week and team with junior Frankie Komar to make the Spartans a potent 3-point shooting team. Meagan had 22 points against Carbon and 13 points against North Sanpete while Jodi had 17 points in each game.
Carbon took the early lead and led after the first quarter 17-13 as the Spartans had too many turnovers in that first period. In the second period, Emery scored the first 5 points and took their first lead of the game on a Pearson 3-pointer. Carbon was very aggressive on defense in the opening half and seemed to keep Emery off balance just a bit. Emery outscored Carbon in the quarter and the two teams went into halftime tied at 27 each.
After Jodi paced the team with 6 points in the first period, Meagan paced the team with 8 points in the second period.
Emery had a good second half defensively at they limited Carbon to only 6 points in each of the final two periods while scoring 13 points in each of the two periods. In the third quarter, Jodi scored another 5 points and Meagan had another 6 points.
Carbon scored the first four points of the quarter to grab a 31-27 lead but the Spartans scored the next 8 points to up 35-31. The crowd erupted at the end of the third quarter on an almost half court shot the Pearson let go and the shot that banked off the glass and went through for a basket. The shot was very reminiscent of a like shot that her coach let fly 19 years ago to win a state championship. It was almost from the same spot on the floor.
In the fourth quarter, Emery only led 44-39 with 1:34 to go when Pearson scored a basket. Carbon would not score again but Emery scored all but one time they had the ball after this. Komar hit a pair of free throws with 1:07 left. Michonne Robertson had a steal and Pearson was fouled going to the basket. Her shot was good and so was her free throw. Michonne hit a pair of free throws with :22 left and Jodi scored the last two points with :08 left after a Pearson steal.
Michonne scored 8 points, Frankie scored 3 points, ShiAnne Allred scored 2 points and Abbie Kay scored a point. Abbie pulled down 7 rebounds and Michonne had 9 rebounds.
It was a much more relaxed game against North Sanpete. The Hawks scored the first 4 points against an Emery team that had not got over their previous win yet but the Spartans responded with the next 19 points to ease the fear of an upset. Meagan had 7 points in the quarter and Meagan, Frankie and Jodi each hit a 3-pointer as the Spartans led 21-7.
The second quarter saw more of the same as Emery won the period 19-7 to lead at the half 40-14. Coach Gordon went to his bench early and often as most team members got the opportunity to play in this game.
Meagan Pearson was honored at halftime as one of the ten finalists in the state of Utah for the Wendy�s Heisman award that goes to a scholar athlete.
Twelve Spartans scored in this game, as the second half appeared to be one that Emery wanted to get over.
Besides Jodi and Meagan, Lacey Montgomery also finished in double figures with 11 points. Abbie and Jenni Stinson each scored 7 points, Michonne scored 6 points, ShiAnne and Jessica Murray each scored 4 points, Frankie had 3 points and Sierra Bridgewater, Tiffany Tuttle and Chelsea Christensen each scored 2 points.
Emery is now down to five games left this season. This week they face Juan Diego in Draper Thursday night.