People hung around on the court for much longer than usual on Tuesday night after the Carbon Lady Dinos had blistered Lehi in their final game of the regular season, 76-34.
It wasn’t the big victory they had just achieved. It wasn’t the score that amazed people. It wasn’t even the Region 8 trophy that was presented to the team at the end of the game by Principal and Utah High School Activities official Robert Cox.
It was to savor the moment; an undefeated regular season and the chance to possibly face last years season spoiler, Pine View, one time.
“Bring on the Panthers,” said one fan in the crowd. “This time we’ll take ’em apart.”
The comments and feelings referred to the season ending game last year on Carbon’s home floor when the eventual state champions and later MVP of the 3A division barely squeaked by the Lady Dinos in the first round of the state tournament. Most Carbon fans remember that game distinctly and want revenge.
However, direct revenge may not happen. While Canyon View did beat Pine View on Tuesday night 31-30, putting the Falcons in the fourth place spot in Region 9, and in place to play Carbon if the playoffs started today, Region 9 hasn’t finished it’s league play yet. This next week, Canyon View has to face league leading Snow Canyon, and the Lady Panthers face last place Cedar City. Obviously if Canyon View wins it’s game the Lady Dinos will face them. However if they lose and Pine View wins, which seems likely, there would be a playoff between them since the two teams split on the season. If Canyon View loses and Pine View loses then it will be Canyon View.
“It’s a crazy mess down here,” said Region 9’s representative to the Utah High School Activities Association, Craig Hammer. “Until we get through next week, we can’t be sure who will play Carbon.”
So Carbon fans will have to wait to see who their team will play in that game which is scheduled for Feb. 23 at 7 p.m.
If the Lady Dinos play anything like they did on Tuesday night, they could probably beat anyone in the state. From start to finish they dominated the game against the Region 8 second place team. Lehi never scored more than 10 in a quarter during the whole game. It was 12-0 before Lehi could score anything at all and the points just kept piling up on the kids from Utah County until the final buzzer rang. By the end of the first quarter the score was 19-9.
In the second period Lehi did manage to slow down Carbon just a bit, holding them to 16, but their offense was still befuddled by Carbon’s pressure and they had another 9 point quarter, leaving the halftime score 35-18.
The third period was Lehi’s best period offensively and defensively as they were only out scored 15-10.
It was then the Lady Pioneers should have circled their wagons however, because the wild Lady Dinos were about to ride down on their encampment and take away any chance of victory from them. Led by the scoring of Cassie and Chelsey Warburton and the defense of Lauren Reavely, Brittany Pollastro and Stephanie Cox, they crushed the life out of the Utah County bunch. Time after time someone knocked a ball loose or outright took it away from a Lady Pioneer and ran down the floor to score a basket. In the end the steals and defense made it so Lehi could only muster six points in the quarter.
On the other hand the Lady Dinos put in 24 points. With a little over two minutes to go in the game, coach Bruce Bean put in the second unit and let them play about a minute. He then replaced them with a little over a minute to play with another unit so they could get some playing time. The game was a total team effort by any measure.
Top scorer in the game was Cassie Warburton with 24 points. Sister Chelsey had 21.
Now the waiting game begins. But whoever this team plays a week from Saturday for the chance to go to St. George and compete in the state tournament had better watch out.
This is one determined bunch of girls and they are looking to travel well beyond the confines of their own gym this year.
Undefeated Lady Dinos accept Region 8 trophy
