Playing for the first time since Dec. 22, 2015, the Emery Spartans and Carbon Dinos faced off in the 3A Quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at Dixie State University.
After a back-and-forth first half, the Lady Spartans blew it open in the fourth quarter to take the lopsided win, 70-44, earning a spot in the semifinals Friday night.
Both teams worked out their pregame jitters in hotly contested first quarter. The Lady Spartans began the game on a 16-5 run, only to see the Lady Dinos finish out the quarter on a 6-1 run to cut the Emery lead to just six.
The Lady Dinos further cut into the Emery lead in the second, getting within two, 26-24, on an Diana Morley three at the 3:54 mark of the second. The Lady Spartans, though, capped of a big 14-2 run to end the half, 40-26. Three Lady Spartans were in double figures at the break, led by Kacelyn Toomer’s 11 points. Lainee Jensen and Megan Jensen each added 10 apiece as well. Jordan Bianco nailed three triples for the Dinos in the first half en route to nine points.
Carbon whittled the lead back to single digits at 44-35 early in the third, but both teams traded buckets for the rest of the quarter, giving Emery the lead 53-41 after three quarters of play. Kelsey Sorenson was big in the period, scoring 11 points to keep the Dinos close.
Foul trouble plagued Carbon’s Sorenson in the game after she picked up her fourth foul late in the third and ultimately her fifth just a minute into the fourth quarter. She fouled out with a team high 18 points. The Lady Spartans took advantage in the fourth, outscoring the Lady Dinos 17-3 with Sorenson out of the game.
Megan Jensen led all scorers in the game with 23 points. Kinlee Toomer added 13 more and Kacelyn and Lainee Jensen finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
After Sorenson’s 18 points, Bianco finished with 11 points. Next up was Jodi Noyes with six points.
The Lady Spartans will take on Grantsville Friday night at 5:50 p.m. in the semifinals. Grantsville upended South Sevier on Thursday night, punching a ticket in the semis. Carbon will play South Sevier Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the consolation bracket.
