With both teams tied at 4-0 in region, bragging rights were not the only thing on the line in this rivalry match. Sole possession of first place was also up for grabs on Tuesday as Carbon and Emery gathered on the pitch in Price.
Each side was searching for holes in the opposing defense in the early going. Carbon was able to break through first by taking advantage of an Emery defensive mishap. At the 24′ mark, the Lady Spartans turned the ball over just outside their own goalie box. Junior Ryan Brady capitalized on the mistake and played a beautiful cross in the box, which found her freshman teammate, Jezmin Pressett, who deflected the ball off her chest and into the goal. Emery’s keeper Kiri Cook was caught in no man’s land on the play and the Lady Dinos took the lead, 1-0.
“We came over with a lot of nerves,” said Emery’s head coach Yory Allred. With so much on the line, the Lady Spartans were not the only ones that felt tension going into the match. “We were nervous and did not play as good as we could have,” said Carbon’s co-head coach Amber Smith.
Coming out of halftime down 1-0, Emery began to play with more intensity. Senior defender Makieya Bertuzzi kept the Lady Spartans in the game. She stopped one of Carbon’s leading scorers, Grace Broadbear, on not just one but two chances early in the second half. Broadbear had two breakaway openings but Bertuzzi was able to stay with her both times and clear the ball away, terminating the threats.
The Lady Spartans then began controlling the ball offensively and creating opportunities. They were awarded a corner kick at the 48′ mark but the Lady Dinos were able to snuff out. Just one minute later, however, Emery’s corner kick found sophomore Aspen Hansen, who banged it in the goal to knot it all up at one.
Five minutes after the tying goal, Broadbear had possession and boomed a shot from 25 feet out that went just wide of the goal. Both teams did a good job limiting the chances of their opponents’ top scorers. “[Carbon] keyed in on Alexis (Winter) and we keyed in on #18 (Grace Broadbear),” said Allred.
The Lady Spartans were knocking on the door again at the 60′ mark with another corner kick. This time it was Lady Dino keeper Emma Flemett that made the play with a killer stop to keep the score even.
There was a scary moment for Carbon just seven minuets later when Flemett ranged over to catch a cross but muffed the handling. After several long seconds, she was able to get on top of the ball before any Emery players could get to it.
The Lady Dinos then had a chance on goal with eight minutes left in the game before Spartan defender Allison Thomas spoiled the occasion by stealing the ball away.
With six minutes to go, Dino captain Kayla Barney broke to her left at the top of the box to create space. She found her spot and chipped the ball perfectly over Cook’s outstretched hands and into the back of the net for the go ahead goal. The Lady Dinos held on to their 2-1 lead and took the opening rivalry game against the Lady Spartans.
When asked what was going through her mind when she saw the ball hit the net to take the lead, Barney had this to say. “I probably just won the game. I heard every cheer, it was pure excitement, it was fun.” Emotions were high when she concluded, “We won Emery, let’s go!”
The winning goal provided more than joy on the Dino sideline. Coach Smith recounted her feelings after the event, “I could finally breath. We played hard and ended with the win.” Dino co-head coach Cynthia Lancaster added her thoughts. “This proves to everyone, especially us, that we are a good team. We expect to go far. I don’t think we know how good we are.”
Allred was not surprised with the results. “It’s what I said at the beginning of the year. [Games between] Emery, Richfield and Carbon can go any direction, any day. We are very even.” It is still early in the season and Allred knows there is room for improvement. “We have got to show up both halves. There was no play in the first half.”
With the win, Carbon (9-1, 5-0 Region 12) remains undefeated in region and takes sole possession of first place. Next, it will travel to play a struggling South Sevier team (0-9, 0-5 Region 12) on Thursday.
“I am happy that Carbon is building their program,” concluded Allred. “It will only strengthen our region.” The Lady Spartans (5-6, 4-1 Region 12) dropped to second place and will be home on Thursday to take on Grand (1-4, 1-4 Region 12).
If this game is any indication of what lies ahead, it will be exciting to see these two talented teams meet again in the last game of the season in early October. If this game is any indication of what lies ahead, it will be exciting to see round two between these two talented teams.
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- Photos by Jeff Barrett
