It was five years ago this month when four schools from the state won the double crown of girls' high school sports. In the 1989-90 school year, Bingham, Springville, Morgan and Enterprise all took the girls basketball title in their respective classes only months after winning the state volleyball championship.
Since that season, however, only one school - Enterprise again - has been able to achieve the same elusive feat. And now the chance will graciously fall at the feet of top-ranked Sky View (20-1), who blew past the competition for the 4A volleyball title last fall.Sky View will be among the 16 teams in Monday's 4A state basketball tournament, to be played at Murray High School through Saturday night. The Bobcats won't actually begin tournament play until Tuesday, when they face Ben Lomond.
The Region 5 champs have defended their lofty No. 1 position all season long while keeping a perfect 10-0 region record, just as they did for volleyball. Despite having an obvious size advantage with six-footers Mari Burningham, Jessica Sparrow and Taffy Smart, Sky View has yet to reach its full potential, according to Coach Alan Wamsley.
"We have only put together one complete game start to finish, and that was our win against Mountain View," he said. "When that happens, we're pretty good. We haven't been flashy, but we've been solid."
The obvious dream matchup for next Saturday's championship final at Murray High would be a face-off between the Bobcats and Region 8 champion Timpview (19-1), which opens Monday against Jordan (11-11). The T-Birds also wrapped up their region with a 10-0 mark by battling off a surging power in Pleasant Grove (16-4 overall).
Both Timpview and Sky View lead the powerful pack of eight schools from Regions 5 and 8 going into the tourney.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
4A Girls Tournament
At Murray High School
Feb. 20-25
Monday's first-round games
Box Elder vs. Olympus, 2:30 p.m.
Provo vs. Murray, 4:10 p.m.
Woods Cross vs. Logan, 6:30 p.m.
Jordan/West vs. Timpview, 8:10 p.m.
Tuesday's first-round games
Ben Lomond vs. Sky View, 2:30 p.m.
Judge vs. Pleasant Grove, 4:10 p.m.
Bear River vs. East, 6:30 p.m.
Payson vs. Tooele, 8:10 p.m.