Photo Courtesy of Dallin Grant
Four weeks after a homecoming matchup with the Richfield Wildcats, the Carbon Dinos traveled to Richfield to face the Wildcats, once again, in the first round of the UHSAA 3A State Tournament.
The first meeting between the two teams saw Richfield ruin Carbon’s homecoming with a 47-2 win over the Dinos.
Richfield wasted no time getting things started on Friday night as the Wildcats’ Karter Frischknecht handed the ball off to senior Emery Thorson on an opening-kickoff trick play. Thorson took the handoff and ran 93 yards, down the sideline, to the end zone. Richfield took a 7-0 lead after just 15 seconds of play.
Just two minutes later, Thorson found junior Cort Moon open for a six-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 9:24 left in the first quarter. Thorson would then use his legs, with 4:59 left in the first, to score from two yards out. Thorson’s third touchdown of the day gave Richfield a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Things continued to fall in favor of the Wildcats as Thorson recorded an eight-yard rushing touchdown to put Richfield up 28-0 just after the beginning of the second quarter. Thorson continued his dominant first half with a 36-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Kai Thomas. Richfield led 35-0 with 6:41 left to play in the second. Just before the half, Thorson threw his third passing touchdown of the day on a 34-yard dart to Cort Moon. Richfield entered the locker room with a 42-0 lead, behind the six total touchdowns by Emery Thorson.
Carbon’s offense was unable to sustain a long drive in the second half, but the defense held Richfield to just seven more points in the last two quarters. Richfield would advance in the state playoffs after a 49-0 win over the Dinos.
Wyatt Falk finished the game 7-14 for 84 yards. Falk did throw an interception as well. Chanse Pendergrass finished the game as the leading rusher for the Dinos with 28 yards on eight carries. Mason Vasquez also tallied 14 yards on three carries. Jerden Alderson was the leading receiver after a 42-yard catch. Vasquez also recorded 19 yards on one reception.
Mason Vasquez was the leader of the defense for the Dinos as well. Vasquez led Carbon with six tackles while Gavin Miller, Chanse Pendergrass, and Dmitri Bordea all finished with four apiece.
With the loss, the Dinos’ season officially ends for the 2022-2023 school year.