3A quarterfinals
Grantsville 3, Ogden 1
Top seeded Ogden was the team to beat coming into this years’ 3A state tournament. The Tigers swept the 3A North Region 10-0, including two 3-0 sweeps over defending 3A champion Grantsville. No. 8 Grantsville shocked the Tigers in the 3A quarterfinal with a 15-25, 25-23, 25-19 and 25-22 win over No. 1 Ogden.
It was the first and only time that the Tigers have lost to a 3A opponent this season.
“I think mentally our boys knew coming in that it was going to be a tough game, but they wanted it and they’ve worked really hard,” said Grantsville head coach Breanna Dzierzon. “We’ve played a lot of tough teams this season. We knew our ranking coming in was low because of that and we had a lower winning percentage, but we played a lot of good teams, and we kept improving throughout the season and we know we’re at our peak now.”
Ogden looked like the runaway favorite from the opening set where it took a commanding 10-0 lead to start the game, which eventually resulted in a 25-15 set win. However, the Cowboys shook it off and rallied back.
Grantsville’s Hunter Powell especially shined in the win with 18 kills in the quarter final. Joe Bailey also had nine kills with Corbin Hislop pitching in five.
“We were down 10 and after that point we just kept fighting,” Dzierzon said. “We got one point, and we kept going and the look on their faces, the way they were playing, it didn’t matter what the score was, they knew the game wasn’t over. We just took that momentum going into those other sets.”
The Cowboys advance to the 3A semifinals where it will face North Sanpete and get a rematch of last years’ 3A championship.
North Sanpete 3, Juab 0
No. 5 North Sanpete punched its ticket to the 3A semifinals with a 3-0 sweep over Region 3A south foe No. 4 Juab. The Hawks won the three sets 26-24, 25-19 and 25-23.
“Juab is a good team, a first-year program for them and they put up good fights both times we played them,” said North Sanpete head coach Austin Ison. “We knew that we just had to match their energy and just play.”
The Hawks were led by Carson Bench with 14 kills in the quarterfinal. Bench also had 14 kills in its second-round sweep over No. 12 Juan Diego. Cole Booher also helped out on the net with six kills of his own.
North Sanpete is on the hunt to redeem last years’ 3A championship loss where it was swept by Grantsville in the finals. The Cowboys upset top seeded Ogden in its quarterfinal match and North Sanpete will get a rematch of last years’ championship game.
“We’re playing really, really well,” Ison said. “I feel like we’ve seen glimpses of this all season and they’re starting to peak right when it counts the most. It’s just players stepping up.”
Morgan 3, American Heritage 2
After taking a 2-1 lead No. 6 American Heritage knew it just needed to avoid a repeat of last years quarterfinal. Last year the Patriots took a 2-0 lead over Morgan but the Trojans came back to take the win.
However, the Patriots did not prevail against No. 3 Morgan’s resilience and the Trojans fought back and won 25-17, 23-25, 21-25, 25-22 and 15-10.
“You just never know how they’re going to respond,” said Morgan head coach Kyle Komenda. “You hope that they respond well, but you’ve got a lot of negative stuff happening in the match and then you just have to find a way to put it behind you. We’ve been talking about that and really that’s been the focus of we’ve been talking about the last two weeks that lead up to state.”
Jack Komenda was an overwhelming force for the Trojans in the quarterfinal as he totaled 26 kills, 11 blocks and five aces. Madden Bell also helped significantly on defense with 14 blocks of his own.
Kevin Wangsgard helped offensively with 12 kills of his own.
After rallying back to tie the game 2-2, the Trojans ran away with the fifth set after starting with an 8-3 lead. It was a flashback to last years’ game against the Patriots where they reverse swept with a similarly dominant fifth set.
“They have the confidence, not that they’re flipping a switch on, but that they can battle back from adversity,” said Coach Komenda. “As long as there are points left to play, you got to keep fighting, and they showed that today. I’m super proud of them.”
Morgan advances to the 3A semifinals where it will face Salt Lake Academy, which it already defeated once this season. Coach Komenda is adamant about not underestimating any opponent this late in the state tournament.
“Heaven knows it’s going to be whoever comes out with the most energy and the most confidence,” said Coach Komenda. “We cannot take them for granted. They’re an excellent team.”
Salt Lake Academy 3, Carbon 0
No. 2 Salt Lake Academy executed and did what it needed to do in day one of the 3A tournament with two 3-0 wins, including a 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22 win over No. 7 Carbon to advance to the 3A semifinals.
In last years’ inaugural tournament the Griffins fell in the quarterfinals and improved to clinch their first semifinal appearance. Elijah Johnson stood out for Salt Lake Academy, especially defensively as he totaled five blocks in the quarterfinal win.
“I think we executed really well,” said Salt Lake Academy head coach Brogan Johnson. “I mean everything’s going to be elevated in the playoffs. Dugway gave us tougher competition than they have all year, and same with Carbon, back and forth with them the whole time. Mentally I think we’re in the right spot to kind of get into those runs and come back with runs of our own. So, I’m really impressed with our team.”
With top seeded Ogden being upset by No. 8 Grantsville in the 3A quarterfinals, Salt Lake Academy became the team to beat as the highest seed still alive in the 3A tournament. The Griffins are confident that they can take it all the way.
“We’re definitely excited to have home (court),” Johnson said. “Semifinals are going to be tough. We will play American Heritage or Morgan, who we lost to earlier in the season, but that was early in the season, so doesn’t mean a whole lot to us. We’re going to come out, play our best game and hopefully make it to the championship.”
3A second round
North Sanpete 3, Juan Diego 0
No. 5 North Sanpete dominated No. 12 Juan Diego in a decisive 3-0 victory during the 3A Playoffs, with set scores of 25-13, 25-14, and 25-11. Cole Booher spearheaded the Hawks’ offense with 16 kills, while Carson Bench supported with 14. Braden Palmer and Dalton Poulson added six kills each, bolstering North Sanpete’s commanding performance. The Hawks’ dominant play advanced them to the 3A quarterfinals.
No. 4 Juab’s Owen Bailey delivered a standout performance with six kills and two aces, propelling the Wasps to a decisive 3-0 victory over No. 13 Ben Lomond in the 3A playoffs. Juab dominated from the start, winning sets 25-16, 25-13, and 25-11. Spencer Hall bolstered Juab’s defense with six blocks and contributed five kills.
Ogden 3, Utah Military Camp Williams 0
Top seeded Ogden dominated in a straight-set victory over No. 17 Utah Military Camp Williams, advancing with a 3-0 win in the 3A Playoffs. Key contributions came from Keen Crowther, who led the Tigers with nine kills. Adam Ballard and Rome Carver each added six kills, underscoring the offensive efforts of the team. The Tigers stifled the Marauders, allowing only 21 total points across the three sets.
Grantsville 3, Freedom Prep Academy 0
No. 8 Grantsville dominated No. 9 Freedom Prep Academy in straight sets, winning 25-14, 25-11, and 25-10 in a decisive 3A playoffs victory. Hunter Powell led the Cowboys’ charge with an impressive 18 kills and six aces. Supporting Powell’s efforts, Corbin Hislop tallied eight kills, while Joe Bailey contributed with six. The defeat left Freedom Prep Academy unable to find their footing as Grantsville executed a commanding offensive performance to secure the win.
No. 2 Salt Lake Academy swept No. 15 Dugway in the 3A Playoffs, winning in straight sets 25-18, 25-12, 25-20. Juan Zuniga led the Griffins with four aces, demonstrating why he currently leads the state in that category. This dominant performance improved Salt Lake Academy’s record to 22-6 for the season.
No. 7 Carbon dominated the court with a decisive 3-0 victory over No. 10 Wasatch Academy in the 3A Playoffs, led by Carter Warburton’s 10 kills. Evan Lancaster added eight kills, providing strong support for the Dinos. Grant Mathis orchestrated the attack efficiently with 11 assists.
Morgan 3, Utah Military Hillfield 0
No. 3 Morgan’s Trojans dominated No. 14 Utah Military Hillfield with a straight-set victory, scoring 3-0 in their 3A playoff matchup. Jack Komenda spearheaded the offensive effort with 10 kills, while Kevin Wangsgard contributed nine. Madden Bell added to the Trojans’ advantage with four aces. The Trojans were consistent, holding the Thunderbirds to 13 and 15 points in the first two sets and closing the match decisively with a 25-20 win in the third.
American Heritage 3, Judge Memorial 0
No. 6 American Heritage beat No. 11 Judge Memorial in three straight sets, advancing in the 3A playoffs with a decisive 3-0 victory. The Patriots were led by the strong performances of Will Beckwith and Sam Wilson, both contributing significantly to the offensive charge. Defensive play was also was bolstered with Peter Jacobson effectively blocking and stifling the Bulldogs’ attempts to take control. The Patriots steadily outscored the Bulldogs 25-19, 25-23, and 25-17.