Aleeyah Cowley’s season high 23 points led the way on Thursday evening as the Lady Spartans welcomed the Manit Templars to the Spartan Center. Emery used big second and third quarters to put the Templars away, starting region play with a 57-36 win.

Cowley has been steady in the middle for the Spartans, averaging nearly 12 points per game and helping them earn an 8-6 overall record and the No. 3 spot in the latest rankings by MaxPreps and the Utah High School Activities Association. With the start of region play, the Lady Spartans have just seven games left in the regular season before the State Championships begin on February 14.

Coming out in the first quarter, both teams kept pace with each other in a fairly quiet period as the Spartans held a slim 14-12 lead. The start of the second quarter marked the beginning of Emery’s dominance in the contest; they put up 18 while holding Manti to single-digit scoring, building a 32-21 lead headed into the locker room at halftime.

In the third, the Lady Spartans took over once again, scoring 18 but this time turning their defense into overdrive, allowing just one point and putting Manti behind the eight ball as the Emery lead grew to 50-22 heading to the final period.  Manti came out and gave the Spartans everything they had, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the lead they had built, and Emery came away with the 57-36 win to open region play 1-0.

Cowley added five rebounds to her game-high 23 points, leading all scorers. Addie Hurst and Carlie Hurst both added eight points, with Addie adding three steals and two rebounds and Carlie collecting two rebounds and two steals.

Emery will be on the road on Tuesday, January 13, in Roosvelt to face the Union Cougars.