Going into the season, the Emery coaching staff thought that the game against Grand might be an easy one. That thought was reconsidered after the results of the first week. After the Spartans squeaked by their opener over Richfield and Grand blew out their opener at Carbon, the Spartan team was not quite sure what to expect in week two.
The Emery-Grand game was not going very long before the Spartans knew they could and would win the game. Emery rolled over Grand 41-7 after leading 34-0 at the half.
Emery’s rushing attack overwhelmed the Red Devils all night long as they accumulated 429 yards on the ground. For the second week in a row, senior David Dyer led the team in rushing, this time with 153 yards on eight carries. Those carries all occurred in the first half of play. Dyer scored a touchdown on one of those carries.
Juniors Marco Mota and Jared Shakespaere combined for another 175 yards and three touchdowns. Mota had 108 yards on 10 carries and scored twice while Jared had 67 yards on nine carries and he scored a touchdown.
Sophomore fullback Tanner Lake had 39 yards on six carries and senior Kayden Feichko carried the ball four times for 41 yards.
Emery only passed the ball three times in the game completing just a single pass for 12 yards and a touchdown. Junior Bailey Faimalo came back and made the catch on a pass from Mota that appeared to be intercepted but Faimalo somehow came up with the ball and scored.
Faimalo had a defensive back’s dream game as he came up with interceptions in the game, one going for a touchdown. After having two earlier interceptions, Faimalo intercepted a pass in the second quarter at the Grand 37 yard line and returned it for a touchdown. Faimalo was the second leading pass interceptor last season in Utah high school football with eight and he is now off to a good start this season.
Junior Ryan Cox, getting his first start at Emery High, also intercepted a pass from his safety position.
Emery’s first touchdown was scored by Shakespaere on a 12-yard run. Cox attempted a 2-point conversion which went incomplete. Emery led after the first quarter 6-0.
Emery scored 28 points in the second quarter to blow open the game. Dyer scored on a 10-yard run with Cox kicking the extra point to take the lead to 13-0. Mota then scored on a 16-yard run and Cox’s kick made the score 20-0.
Mota then completed that pass to Faimalo for a touchdown and Cox kicked the extra point. Emery led 27-0. Faimalo then had his interception for a touchdown and this time sophomore Ridge Nielson kicked the extra point and Emery led 34-0.
Emery’s final score came in the third quarter. Mota scored from the 14-yard line and with Nielson’s kick, Emery led 41-0.
Grand finally got on the scoreboard with 13 seconds left in the football game as the Grand starters scored against Emery’s second and third team players. Final was 41-7.
On defense, Emery held Grand to 217 yards with 73 of those yards coming on the last drive of the game for Grand. Slayde Childs led the team with nine tackles. Taylor Weihing had seven tackles and Dyer and Zach West each had six tackles. Ryan Cox had five tackles.
Emery will now host the 2-A defending state champion Manti Templars this Friday night. Manti is the team that knocked Emery out of the state tournament last season. It’s expected to be a good match-up. Game time is 7 p.m. on the Spartan field.
Spartans soundly defeat Red Devils
"Bailey Faimalo reaches for a pass just beyond his fingertips."