Emery High School, in a shortened week due to fall break, hosted the Canyon View Falcons in a non-region football contest last Wednesday night. Emery was victorious in the game by the score of 36-26. Senior running back Marco Mota, playing at less than full strength for the injury-riddled Spartans, sparked the team to win with a four-touchdown night after gaining 249 yards on the ground and another 10 through the air.
Mota, after the Falcons received the opening kick-off and fumbling the ball away five plays later at their 45-yard line, scored on Emery’s first play of the night on a run going 55 yards. Mota then added the 2-point conversion. Marco went on to score on Emery’s next two possessions and then ended the game by scoring on Emery’s last possession.
A swing pass from quarterback Tai Justice for eight yards was the next touchdown followed by a two yard run on the next offensive series for another score. The final score also came on a 22 yard run.
Junior fullback Matt Mecham is continuing to improve at the position after converting midway through the season. Playing his best game of the season at this spot, Mecham carried the ball for 127 yards and scored the other Spartan touchdown. Mecham also had a pass reception good for 12 yards.
Canyon View, just a couple of weeks ago, defeated Delta by the score of 45-16. The Falcons had gone winless in their first six games of the season by often huge scores. This scenario had left the Spartans wondering just which team would show up in Castle Dale. Showing why high school football is unpredictable, on the same night as the Spartan-Falcon game, Delta upset Grantsville which didn’t make a lot of sense, at least in my mind.
Emery scored twice in the first quarter and twice more in the second quarter to lead 28-14 at the half. Canyon View had strung together a 76-yard drive for their first score and a 70-yard drive for their second score. Two other first-half drives were thwarted by turnovers. Austin Allred recovered a fumble on the Falcons first series and Mecham intercepted a pass later in the half.
Emery received the kick-off to start the second half. On the first play of the drive, the pass in the flat was intercepted and returned for a Falcon touchdown. Emery later fumbled but Canyon View was able to do anything with their possession.
Mecham led the defensive effort with 12 tackles in addition to the interception. Zack West, Slayde Childs and Allred each had seven tackles in the game.
Emery will now close out the season by hosting their final region contest of the season this Friday night. The Carbon Dinos will be coming to town with game time being set for 7 p.m. Emery will honor their senior football players right before the game. Emery will then start the state playoff season the following week.
Spartans down the Canyon View Falcons
"Marco Mota scrambles for four touchdowns on the night."