The Carbon football team made their way to Draper for a first-round matchup in the state tournament with the Juan Diego Catholic Soaring Eagles. Juan Diego entered the game with a record of 5-5, ranked at number seven in 3A football. The Dinos sat at 3-7, giving them the tenth spot in the rankings.
The Soaring Eagles would strike first early in the game, from a six-yard touchdown run after a consistent drive down the field. Carbon would then have a three and out on the offensive side, as Austin Jones made a great tackle on the punt returner on the Juan Diego logo in midfield.
The Dino defense held strong, forcing a 39-yard field goal, which was successful, bringing the score to 10-0 halfway through the first quarter. The Carbon offense had a nice drive down the field bringing the ball into the redzone. The Dinos would go for a 38-yard field goal, but was just a little underneath, giving Juan Diego the ball back as the quarter came to an end after a big gain from the Soaring Eagle running back.
The run offense would be successful once again in the first minute of the second quarter, giving Juan Diego the 17-0 lead. The Dino offense would struggle on the offensive side, unable to break a big run or complete a much-needed pass play. The Soaring Eagles would gain possession as the end of the half neared.
Some solid defense by Carter Branch and the defensive line would cause a punt by Juan Diego. With under two minutes in the half, Stockton Kennedy found Maddux Wilson for a big gain, followed by a pass to Eleke Lang for another first down. The Juan Diego defense stepped up, causing a turnover on downs, with 44 second remaining in the second quarter. The Soaring Eagles had a big gain on the ground, followed by a 17-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 24-0 as the half ended.
Midway through the third quarter, as Juan Diego was attempting another field goal, Maddux Wilson was able to break through, tipping the ball after the kick to Logan Anderson as he ran untouched down to the Dinos endzone. Unfortunately, the play was called back due to a couple penalties on Carbon.
Juan Diego would score once more in the beginning of the fourth, bringing the lead to 31-0, where the score would stay until the end of the game, ending the Carbon Dinos season. Carbon finishes with a 3-8 record in the year, and should be proud of the great moments they had this season.