The Cinderella story ended for Murray, but the dream season still lives on for Lone Peak after their semifinal showdown at the 4A state championship Thursday.
Amber Harr came back from a knee injury in Tuesday's quarterfinal win to score 14 points and lead third-ranked Lone Peak past Murray 51-48. The win advanced the first-year program into Saturday's championship game with Region 6-rival, Timpview.Leading 21-16 at halftime, the Knights could never put Murray out of the game in the second half. Each time Lone Peak would build its lead up to five and seven points, the Spartans would cut it back down to one or two, but could never tie or take the lead.
Harr's two free throws with 1:53 to play gave Lone Peak a 49-44 lead that was quickly cut back down to three on Lindy Whitley's driving layin.
After, Viking Aimee Armstrong missed the front end of a one-and-one with 50 seconds to play Jessica Dietlein brought the Spartans to within 49-48 on a 12-foot jumper with 20 seconds left.
Armstrong hit one free throw with 15.9 seconds to play, but Dietlein's tying shot attempt from underneath the basket rolled around and off the rim, and Lone Peak controlled the subsequent held ball. Harr then capped the scoring by hitting a free throw with 2.5 seconds remaining.
CONSOLATION BRACKET
LOGAN 63, WEBER 53: The Grizzlies took the third meeting of the season between the two Region 4 rivals as Tonya Smart poured in a game-high 24 points. Sally Krogh added 19.
BOUNTIFUL 48, CYPRUS 43: The Braves earned the right to meet Logan in today's fifth-place game by outlasting their Region 5-rivals, the Pirates.
Hailey MacKay had 11 points and 13 rebounds.