Making their first appearance in the state championship game since 1999, the Emery Spartans took the field at Eccles Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 16. Their opponent? The San Juan Broncos, who were on the hunt for their fourth straight state title. It would be the championship experience of San Juan that would propel the Broncos to victory, defeating the Spartans 60-14.
Opening the game for San Juan, they would first stop a fourth down conversion from Emery, starting their drive near midfield. The Broncos would methodically work downfield on a drive that had the team convert on a key fourth down to keep scoring hopes alive. They would capitalize on this when senior quarterback Jaiten Knight connected with fellow senior receiver Branten Bethea on an eight-yard touchdown pass. Opting to go for two, the Broncos would power into the end zone courtesy of junior running back Jagger Nieves to put San Juan up 8-0.
Nieves would build off his two-point conversion, powering the Broncos downfield. He would cap off his already impressive performance with a 25-yard scamper to the end zone. Emery’s defense would clamp down on the ensuing conversion to hold the score at 14-0 at the end of the first quarter.
San Juan would continue to ride off this momentum, forcing another turnover on downs from the Spartans. Nieves would again bully his way across the goal line, this time from 12 yards out for another Bronco score. Nieves would double down on this drive and punch the ball in for a two-point conversion to lift San Juan’s advantage to 22-0.
Two minutes later, Nieves would do it again, powering through the Spartan defense for a 41-yard touchdown run. Junior kicker Tripp Palmer would power the ball through the uprights on the point after to raise the lead to 29-0.
San Juan would score once more before the end of the half, this time with the Broncos striking from the air. Knight would again find Bethea in the end zone on a seven-yard dime. Palmer’s kick would veer wide and the PAT attempt would fail. San Juan took a commanding 35-0 lead into the locker room for halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Broncos would receive the opening kickoff. Working the clock down, San Juan would again find the back of the end zone, this time it would be senior back JD Palmer getting it down on the ground, charging eight yards before crossing the threshold. Again, the point after would be no good as the Broncos raised the score to 41-0.
The Spartans were down, but not out. Finally finding their footing offensively, Emery put together a drive that would be capped off by a 46-yard bomb from senior quarterback Trevin Gilbert to senior receiver Porter Hurdsman, who would outsprint a slew of San Juan defenders into the end zone, preventing a shutout. Single-season extra point record holder Jadin Atwood would add to his total by booting the ball down the middle to make it a 41-7 ballgame.
Despite giving up a score, San Juan would immediately put their foot back on the pedal, marching downfield before Knight would connect with senior receiver Javen Montella, who would bob and weave through Emey’s defense before waltzing into the end zone. The kicking woes for the Broncos would continue, missing another extra point, holding the score at 47-7.
Continuing to battle, Emery would again strike on offense. In near identical fashion to the first score, Gilbert would deliver a 48-yard strike to fellow senior Hayden Abrams. Abrams would beat the defense across the goal line for a Spartan touchdown. Atwood would again connect on the extra point, raising his PAT total to 54 on the season.
San Juan would score twice more before the end of the game, the first coming when senior receiver Jake Ivins punched in a two-yard run for a touchdown, Palmer would convert the point after. Minutes later Knight would score the final points of the evening, scrambling 12 yards into the promised land. The extra point would fall short, making the final score 60-14.
Emery ends the year with a record of 9-3 overall and 3-1 in 2A South play. The Spartans also clinched their highest finish since the 1999 season. Emery graduates a class of 12 seniors, but loaded with young talent ready to fill in, the Spartans aim to be back in the title game next year. Congratulations to these young men and good luck to the seniors on their future endeavors.