Under the lights in Castle Dale on Friday night the Emery Spartans and the Summit Academy Bears met in the second round of the 2A State Football Championships. In a game that looked like it would be a blowout early, the Spartans fought their way back to tie it up and even took the contest to overtime, falling short 45-44.
Emery ended the regular season with a 6-3 overall record which landed them in the No. 4 spot in the RPI, granting them a bye in the first round. Summit Academy closed out with a 6-4 overall mark earning the No. 5 spot.
Summit Academy received the ball first and put together an extended drive that ended with a Bronson Dixon 1 yard scamper to put the Bears up 7-0. Summit Academy attempted an onside kick but Emery was on top of maintained possession. The Bears caused a quick three and out for the Spartan offense, and going into the second half Summit Academy put together another sustained drive that ended with another Brooks score making it 14-0. The Spartans finally had something going with a 44-yard pass from Wade Stilson to Mason Stilson down to the 12 yard line on third and nine. A few plays later Creek Sharp would get the Spartans on the board with a one yard run making it 14-7. The Bears came out and moved the ball quickly bringing out their field goal kicker with :05 left going up 17-7 at half time.
In the second half, Emery would get the ball to start and would be forced into three and out again. After the Emery punt, it took one play for Summit Academy to put another one in the end zone on a 58-yard strike to put the Bears up 24-7. It was at that point the Spartans went on a run of their own, starting with a drive that culminated in an 8 yard pass to Sharp bringing Emery within 10, 24-14. After a Summit Academy punt Emery went back to work. Emery would put together another Stilson to Stilson connection on a screen pass for the 49-yard score putting the Spartans within three, 24-21. Once again in the third the Emery defense stopped the Bears with a sack to put Summit Academy at fourth down.
Moving into the fourth quarter, Emery would give the ball back to Summit Academy who took it down and put a touchdown on the board to put the score at 31-24. On the ensuing kickoff Mason Hurdsman would turn the ball over on a fumble and Summit Academy came out and went back to work, taking advantage as the Bear’s workhorse Dixon would put another score on the board making it 38-24. And then things got interesting as Wade Stilson found Sharp for a 9 yard strike on fourth down, that made the score 38-31. Emery would attempt an onside kick, but Summit Academy would cover. Emery’s defense came out not ready for their season to come to an end, forcing the Bears into a fourth down, they opted to punt and on the snap, the ball would go over the punters head, and Hayden Abrams would scoop it up and run it in for the score and with the point after Emery tied it up 38-38. After the kick-off, on the first Summit Academy play from scrimmage, Mason Stilson would come up with a huge interception, giving the Emery Spartans life. The Spartans would commit a couple of untimely penalties, which took them out of field goal range, and they would have to settle for overtime.
Summit Academy would win the toss and select to take the ball second. In the first play in overtime, Dane Sitterud would go 25-yards for the score, unfortunately the Bears blocked the extra point, which meant a Summit Academy score and point after would give them the win.
Khai Matagi would run almost the same route as Sitterud to score for Summit Academy, and with the extra point the Bears would end the Spartans season, advancing to face the San Juan Broncos.
Check back with Castle Country Radio for the end of season interview with Emery head coach Jon Faimalo on KOAL’s Drive Time Sports.