| Carbon’s JJ Blue (10) and Nick Deeter (60) battle with Spartan football players during the final game of the regular season last week. |
The Carbon Dino football team entered the long UEA weekend looking for a victory against long time rival, the Emery Spartans. On October 19, both teams ran onto the field 1-8 overall and with their final chance at a state playoff birth on the line.
| Keith Barker was one of the keys to the offensive side of things on the Carbon team this year. |
Both Region 8 football squads were focused and ready to win.
Unfortunately for the Dinos, it was not their time to travel to the state tourney. Carbon lost to the Spartans by the final score, 29-15. This wrapped up the Dino’s season and left the Carbon team with a final season record of 1-9 overall and 1-4 in region play. This is the fifth consecutive year the Dinos have missed out on competing in the state playoffs.
The Spartans opened up the final region game of the year by scoring 15 unanswered points. The Dinos bounced back in the third quarter however by scoring a touchdown on a 20 yard pass from Brandon Wilson to Keith Barker. The kick by Willy Woodruff was then good, thus putting Carbon on the board.
| Offensive and defensive linemen, like Jay Workman, often don’t get the credit they deserve for playing the positions like the team members who handle the ball do. Workman, a junior, will return next year along with a lot of players who were on the young Carbon squad this year. |
As the two Region 8 teams entered the fourth quarter, Carbon trailed the Spartans, 15-7. Down, but not out, the Dinos put up an offensive play that put eight points on the board for the team after a 15 yard pass from Wilson to Barker. The two point conversion was then completed by Wilson who ran into the end zone for the Dinos.
The successful series was a little too late for Carbon however. Emery had scored 14 points in the final quarter and captured the region win.
Emery will now advance to the state playoffs where they will take on Morgan who finished the season 8-1 in Region 10.
With the 2005 season behind them, the Dinos look to rebuild next year and many local football fans feel that next year’s team may have a chance at breaking the playoff slump. Most of the incoming sophomores are coming off of a successful season and may bring experience to the Dino team.
With the majority of Carbon’s team being comprised of young athletes this year, it is important to have the first year athlete’s next year bringing with them playing experience. This combined with the experience of current Dino players who will return, Carbon looks to come back from this year’s rough season.