ETV News Stock Photo by Dusty Butler
Emery fans were kept on the edge of their seats during a playoff thriller on Friday night. The #4 Spartans hosted the quarterfinals game against #5 Summit Academy as both teams looked to advance to the semifinals on Nov. 4.
Summit Academy struck first in the opening quarter, finding the end zone at the 4:28 mark. The PAT gave the Bears the early advantage, and they added to their score with another seven points less than a minute later. Down 14-0, the Spartans responded with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter as Creek Sharp scored off of a one-yard run. The extra point made it a one-score game, 14-7.
Things settled down in the second quarter as the lone points came from Summit Academy with seven seconds remaining on the game clock. The Bears added three points to the board off of a 30-yard field goal to take the 17-7 lead into halftime.
Summit Academy added another touchdown, followed by the extra point, to open the third quarter. Just when things were starting to look grim, the Spartans came storming back. Wade Stilson connected with Creek Sharp on an eight-yard pass for a score at the 6:38 mark. Wade connected again at the 2:14 mark, this time with Mason Stilson, with a 49-yard bomb. The extra points by Boston Huntington narrowed Emery’s deficit to 24-21.
The visiting Bears fought back in the fourth, finding the end zone twice to take 38-21 lead. Just when it looked like the Spartans were going to be counted out of the playoffs, the Black and Gold came storming back with just over two minutes remaining.
At the 2:36 mark, Wade Stilson found Sharp off of a 20-yard pass, while Huntington added the extra point to make it 38-31. The Bears were rattled and fumbled with only 1:29 remaining, which Emery capitalized on as Hayden Abrams recovered the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. Huntington once again got the PAT, tying things up at 38 and sending the game into overtime.
With a trip to the quarterfinals on the line, the teams both brought intensity in overtime. To start things off, Dane Sitterud found the end zone for the Spartans off of a 25-yard run, but Summit Academy blocked the kick for the extra point. The Bears then scored off of their own 25-yard run and sealed the deal with the PAT to take the game 45-44.
The Tram Electric Athletes of the Game were the senior Spartans for their efforts not only in the game, but the season as a whole. The team finishes the season with a 6-4 record overall and a 3-1 mark in region play.