Carbon Dinos girls basketball prepares for state playoff battle with rival Emery Spartans

    Before the season started in November, Carbon Head Coach Ted Bianco knew this season would be a rebuilding year coming off three-straight State Semifinals appearances.
    He also knew that his team was capable of being in the thick of things when it came down to this year’s state playoffs.
    Senior forward Kelsey Sorenson also believed in her team right from the beginning.
    “I didn’t have any doubt that we would make it as far as we have been the past few years, I knew we could,” said Sorenson.
    While most teams have over 20 players in their program and a handful of upperclassmen, Bianco has only 16 players and one senior on his roster.
    Even though most of his team has played one tournament game in their careers, last Friday’s win against Summit Academy, his team will have enough experience for the three-day tournament.
    “We got to get past the nerves, that is something that is going to be huge for us. That game on Friday night we had one player with a significant amount of state tournament experience, that was Kelsey, but now they all have state tournament experience as far as I am concerned,” said Bianco.
    Right now, the Dinos head into the 3A State Quarterfinals this Thursday with a 17-5 overall record, an eight-game win streak and a share of the Region 14 title.
    They will open the tournament with a battle against rival Emery, the team most people in the state believe to be the favorites to win the tournament.
    Emery comes into the game on a 12-game win streak and a 22-1 overall record.
    “Do we know we have a huge task? Absolutely, but anything can happen in this sport and I want my kids to believe when they step on the court that they can beat anyone they are playing against,” said Coach Bianco.
    The key to a victory on Thursday for Carbon will be the play of their post players, junior Jodi Noyes and the lone senior on the team, Sorenson.
Noyes and Sorenson average a combine 26 points, 16.9 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game for the Dinos.
    “The big thing for Jodi and Kelsey, they have to stay within themselves, they can’t leave the team concept and they have to help lead us,” said Bianco.
    Noyes and Sorenson will be tasked with defending Meagan Jensen who stands at 6’3 and averages nearly 17 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.
    “They have a big, tall post player and Kelsey and I have to take care of her,” said Noyes.
    Sorenson believes that if her and Noyes can have a great night on the boards, the team should have success on Thursday.
    “When we have our nights, it gets things going and it is important for us to get board because it’s really important of the game and its one of our main things we focus on and thrive on,” said Sorenson.
    Noyes and Sorenson average a combine 26 points, 16.9 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks per game for the Dinos.
    Carbon girls’ basketball hasn’t won a state championship since 2005 and would like to bring home a title after falling short the past couple years.
    “It would be a really big deal and be really special knowing that I was a part of that and to tell my future family about that,” said Noyes.
    The Dinos will begin their chase to a state title when they tip off against rival Emery on Thursday night at 4:10 p.m. at the Dixie State University campus.