Morgan celebrates after defeating Ogden to win the boys 3A state volleyball championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
By Aidan Baller
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Morgan won its second consecutive 3A state title with a 3-1 win over rival Ogden on Saturday.
The Trojans were led by seven seniors: Reed Caldwell, Joshua DeMond, Kevin Wangsgard, Bentley Cantwell, Denja Sisson, Marcus Wilde, and Troy Tatton.
Head coach Kyle Komenda said of his graduating group, “I’m just happy for them. Some of these guys have been with us the whole time. They are culture-setters. Even if they are not on the floor, they are a big part of what we do.”
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Morgan’s David Thomsen (14) celebrates with teammates after a point during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Kevin Wangsgard (17) jumps to hit a ball during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s David Thomsen (14) hits the ball past Ogden blockers during the boys 3A volleyball state championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Denja Sisson (23) hits into a block by Ogden’s Jed Van Tassell (15) during the boys 3A volleyball state championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s Trayven Olivieri looks on during the national anthem before the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s James Taukiuvea (21) sets the ball during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s Van Hunt (27), center, celebrates with teammates after a block during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s Jed Van Tassell (15) jumps to try and block the ball during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s James Taukiuvea (21) celebrates with Van Hunt (27) and Trayven Olivieri (16) after a point during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s Jed Van Tassell (15) reacts after a block during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Kevin Wangsgard (17) keeps the ball in play during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden head coach Tim Wright reacts after a point during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Joshua DeMond (12) sets the ball during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s David Thomsen (14) celebrates after a point during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Caleb Stephens (4) dives to dig a ball during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Ogden’s bench cheers during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Morgan at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Ben Komenda (32) celebrates after a point during the boys 3A volleyball state championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan lifts the boys 3A volleyball state championship trophy after defeating Ogden in four sets at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan assistant coach Christian Thomsen embraces his son David Thomsen (14) after Morgan defeated Ogden in four sets to win the boys 3A volleyball state championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Denja Sisson (23) celebrates with his teammates after Morgan defeated Ogden in four sets to win the boys 3A volleyball state championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Joshua DeMond (12) celebrates after Morgan scored the final point to defeat Ogden in four sets to win the boys 3A volleyball state championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Denja Sisson (23) celebrates after a kill during the boys 3A state volleyball championship match against Ogden at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s Kevin Wangsgard (17) hits past two Ogden blockers during the boys 3A state volleyball championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan’s David Thomsen (14) tips the ball past Ogden’s Jed Van Tassell (15) during the boys 3A state volleyball championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan celebrates after defeating Ogden to win the boys 3A state volleyball championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
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Morgan celebrates after defeating Ogden to win the boys 3A state volleyball championship at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News
Morgan started out on the right foot Saturday by winning the first set, something it hadn’t been able to do in either of the previous matchups with Ogden this season.
It was a tight first set, but the Trojans pulled ahead at the end thanks to seven kills from Wangsgard. He finished the match with 21 kills and a .377 hitting percentage.
Ogden tied it up with a dominant second set, but Komenda trusted his team to turn it back around. More importantly, his team trusted each other on the court.
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“I think it’s a testament to how together they are,” Komenda said. “If you can get them playing as a team, believing in themselves as a team and loving each other as a team, that is where that comes from.”
Morgan exemplified those principles to perfection in the third and fourth sets en route to a repeat as state champions. The Trojans had several standout performers, but Kevin and Nate Wangsgard and David Thomsen were especially bright.
Nate Wangsgard finished with seven kills, six blocks and 16 digs. Thomsen added 14 blocks and four kills of his own.
Komenda said of the repeat, “It’s awesome. It’s just awesome. You got it one time and you (think) ‘I want to do this again’. These young men, they want it, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re there for them.”
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