The Emery Lady Spartans punched their ticket to the 3A semifinals with a 55-45 win over the Judge Memorial Bulldogs Thursday night at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield.

Trailing 14-10 at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Spartans used an 11-0 run in the second to take the lead. With the momentum firmly on their side, Emery never relinquished the advantage in the double-digit victory.

“I never felt comfortable but once we got on top, I felt like we controlled the game,” said head coach Jon Faimalo. “Fortunately enough, we built a cushion and made some free throws down the stretch to finish it off.”

Sophomore Kenadie Maughan continued to produce at a prominent level for Emery as she finished with a game-high 17 points to go along with 10 rebounds and four blocks. Karleigh Stilson chipped in with 13 points, six of which came from the three-point line, while Katelyn Nielson scored eight.

Emery received a big boost from another sophomore as Kabree Gordon scored eight points off the bench. Making her impact felt immediately, Gordon connected on two crucial three-point attempts, helping Emery establish an advantage for three of the four quarters.

Esther Analjok posted 14 points and eight rebounds for the No. 4 ranked Bulldogs. Makena Gardner scored 11 points and Achol Daw finished with nine.

Thursday’s quarterfinals showdown was a rematch of last season’s second round matchup, which ended in Judge Memorial’s favor. Emery had lost the previous four meetings with the Bulldogs.

Emery will now shift focus to Friday afternoon, where they will meet the No. 1 ranked Grantsville Cowboys for the right to play for the 3A state championship. Grantsville advanced to the semifinals with a lopsided win over Summit Academy.

Live coverage of Friday’s game will air live on KOAL 107.3 FM, and 750 AM. Tip-off is slated for 4:10 p.m.