Opening the 3A state playoffs, the Carbon Dinos took the long trip up north to face the Grantsville Cowboys on Friday, Oct. 24. A recovered fumble that led to a field goal gave Carbon an early lead, but a relentless Cowboy attack led Grantsville to a 54-17 victory.
“We’re excited to play this game,” said head coach Nick Milovich before the game. “No matter the circumstance, I’m glad we were able to get the green light to be able to do this and have the kids gain this experience.”
After stalling on their first drive, the Dinos made a statement on defense, forcing a fumble from Cowboys quarterback Dallan Van Vliet and Daxtyn Mower recovering the ball on the ground, returning it inside the Grantsville 20. Carbon tried but was unable to find the back of the end zone, instead opting for a field goal from Tayger Timothy to take an early 3-0 advantage.
Following the initial struggles, Grantsville played near-flawless football, putting up 28 unanswered points in the first quarter, as the duo of Jordan Fawson and Rigdon Murdoch contributed two touchdowns apiece, giving the Cowboys a 28-3 lead at the end of one.
Grantsville continued to pour it on in the second quarter, scoring another trio of touchdowns. However, two failed point-after attempts lessened the damage, as the Cowboys held a 47-3 advantage heading into the half.
Opening the third quarter, Carbon drove downfield with a potent rushing attack, with the drive concluding with a two-yard push across the goal line from senior Trace Crespin. Timothy drove the ball through the uprights to cut into the deficit 47-10.
The Cowboys struck back six minutes later, unleashing a drive of their own which culminated in a dive into the promised land by quarterback Crew Allred. A successful PAT gave Grantsville a 54-10 lead.
The Dinos tacked one more score on the board before the final whistle, with sophomore quarterback Kameron Rigby delivering a dime to Caleb Sorenson in the corner of the end zone for another Carbon touchdown. Timothy’s kick was again pure as the Dinos forced a final score of 54-7.
The loss eliminates the Dinos from the playoffs, ending their season with a final record of 2-9 overall and 0-6 in region play. The win advances Grantsville to the 3A semifinals, where they will face the Juab Wasps on Friday, Oct. 31.
Castle Country Radio would like to congratulate Carbon on an excellent season and wish the team’s seniors good luck in their future endeavors.
Watch the game here: