Emery football drops home opener to Bears

By Gary Arrington
Sports Writer

Last Friday night the Emery High Spartans hosted the Summit Academy Bears in the Spartan home-opener and the visitors went away with a 35-3 victory. Summit Academy, a charter school in the Salt Lake valley and favored to make a run at the 3-A title this year, scored in every quarter and kept the home team at bay throughout the game.
Emery started the game with four senior players on the sideline unable to suit up and a team with only nine seniors to begin with needs all the veteran players they have.
After Summit Academy scored on their first drive of the game the Spartans held the visitors in check until the final minute of the half. Emery started a drive at the Emery 32-yard line and mounted a seven-play drive that found the Spartans marching deep into Bear territory.
On second and 10 the Spartans fumbled what looked like a halfback pass and the defense returned the fumble the length of the field for their third touchdown of the game and the score was 21-0 instead of 14-7.
Summit Academy added a touchdown in each of the second half periods while the Spartans were able to score just a third-quarter field goal by Brock Winter after an Emery drive stalled at the six-yard line.
Rance Jensen again led the team in rushing as he carried the ball 19 times and gained 64 yards.
Jaymes Bowman carried the ball eight times and gained 27 yards while Colton Willson gained 6 yards on five carries. Quarterback Kyson Stilson completed 11 of 17 passes for 78 yards with two of those passes going to Bowman for a gain of 58 yards.
Stilson left the game in the second half with an injury.
Sophomore Seth Justice completed the game at quarterback and completed one of two passes with Bowman catching that pass for a 15-yard gain. Willson caught four passes for 22 yards.
The Spartan defense was led by Bowman with eight tackles including a sack and a tackle for a loss. Drake Hoffman had seven tackles while Lon Huntsman, Willson and Jesse Barnett all finished the game with four tackles.
The Spartans will play at home this Friday night as the Payson Lions come to town. The Spartans hope to have two seniors back for this game and the team will be looking to win their first game of the season.