Emery football opens season with Richfield Wildcats

By Gary Arrington

The 2017 high school football season started last week and the Spartans from Emery High opened their season with a game in Richfield against the Richfield Wildcats.  It was a close game throughout but the Wildcats prevailed in the end by the score of 21-14. Richfield scored first in the game as they scored on their second
possession of the game as they scored after putting together a 74-yard drive.  Richfield led 7-0 after the first quarter.  Emery also scored on their second drive of the game but the score came in the second period of play.
The Spartans put together a nine-play drive that culminated with a reception by Colton Willson on a pass thrown by Kyson Stilson that covered four yards.  The drive covered 64 yards and the longest play of the drive was the first play, a pass play from Stilson to Easton Gordon that went for 26-yards.  A roughing the kicker penalty on a field goal attempt aided the Spartan drive.
Emery scored again on their next drive, a drive that covered eighty yards.  It all started when Gordon, from his safety position, took the ball away from a Wildcat player and prevented what looked like a possible Richfield touchdown and gave the ball to the Spartans. The Spartans then put together a 15-play drive and ended the drive on a 9-yard run by running back Rance Jensen.  During the drive, Stilson completed a pass to Willson for 21 yards for the longest play of the drive and then Stilson picked up 15 yards on a rushing play by the quarterback.  Both extra points were kicked by Brock Winter.
Emery then gave up a touchdown at the end of the first half.  After a short kick-off, Richfield completed a pass over the top of the Spartan defender and the Wildcats tied the score on a 51-yard pass play. Emery then gave up the go-ahead touchdown and the eventual difference in the game touchdown after they fumbled the ball on their second possession of the second half and Richfield scored on a one-play drive from 12 yards out.  Emery got into Wildcat territory on their next three possessions but were unable to cross the goal line and lost the game.  Richfield had to punt on three of their four second-half possessions by a good Emery defense.
Stilson was 17 for 25 in passing the ball for 141 yards and a touchdown.
Stilson also carried the ball 9 times for 7 yards.  Jensen was the leading rusher as Rance carried the ball 18 times and picked up 83 yards.  Willson gained 18 yards on 4 carries and Gordon picked up seven yards on 2 carries.  Gordon caught six passes and picked up 72 yards.  Willson also caught six passes and he gained 42 yards.  Gordon led the defense with eight tackles and also had that one fumble recovery/steal.
Emery will now play the next two games at home with Summit Academy coming to town this Friday and Payson coming to town next Friday.
Photos are from the black and gold game.