Just like last year’s title game, the contest between the Emery Spartans and the Morgan Trojans went down to the wire. And unfortunately for the Lady Spartans, the Trojans ended Emery’s state title hopes with a 45-42 win Thursday night at the Dee Events Center in Ogden.

Tambrie Tuttle who started out the game on fire finished with 20 points pulling down nine boards in the process. Tatum Tanner scored 11, grabbing five rebounds and collecting four blocked shots. Baylee Jacobson scored six, with eight boards, three assists and two steals.

This game was set to go down to the wire from the very beginning with Emery taking a lead in the first quarter 15-10. In the second quarter, the roles were reversed with Morgan being the aggressor, holding Emery to just five points and turning the tide in their direction taking a slim 22-20 lead into half time.

In the second half, the game got even tighter as neither team would let the other put that much distance between them. The Spartans battled the Trojans all the way through to the fourth quarter when things got even more interesting. In the final minutes, Emery was forced to foul to get the ball back, sending Janel Blazzard to the line where she hit four free throws in 35 seconds to end the game, and send the Morgan Trojans to a date with the Judge Memorial Bulldogs in the semi-finals.

Blazzard ended the game with 16 points and five rebounds for the Trojans. Alex Trussell added seven while pulling down nine boards and Elena Birkeland dropped in six.

The Spartans now fall into the consolation bracket and will face the Carbon Dinos Friday at 11:10.

These two teams know each other very well as they both play in Region 12. In the two meetings this season the teams split, with each team winning on their own floor.