Photos by Jeff Barrett
The 7, 10 matchup between Carbon and Juab turned out to be a nail-bitter as both teams were vying for a spot in the quarterfinals. The Dinos played host, since they held the higher seed, and as a result the sideline was full of fans urging on the crew in black.
Their cheers heightened after a Juab defender lifted the ball over the Wasp goalkeeper’s outstretched hands and into the back of the net for an own goal. Carbon went up 1-0. Late in the first half, Juab found the equalizer and tied the game at one.
Tension continued to rise throughout the second half as the teams remained in a deadlock. The onlookers and players alike knew that the next goal would be the decisive one.
The Wasps began to swarm the Dino net in an attempt to break through, but Carbon’s defense held tough. Dax Humes was unbelievable down the stretch. The senior tallied five saves in the final 10 minutes to keep Carbon’s playoff hopes alive.
After two overtime periods, the score remained tied, forcing a shootout. The Dinos won the coin flip and elected to kick second. Juab and Carbon both scored on their first two attempts. The Wasps’ third kick went sailing over the frame to open the door for the Dinos. Carbon missed the opportunity to pull ahead, however, as the subsequent attempt was blocked.
Juab scored the next two times, forcing the Dinos to keep pace. Carbon made the first, but the second hit the cross bar and bounced out, officially giving Juab the victory 1(5) – 1(4).
Carbon’s season has come to a close. The Dinos finished 9-6 on the year and second in Region 12.
