4A state volleyball: Thunder, Tigers, Reds all get 1st round byes; playoffs start on Saturday

Written by E. George Goold
October 18, 2023

ST. GEORGE — Much like the 4A football and girls soccer brackets before it, Region 9 volleyball teams are on track for rematches against each other in the early rounds at state.

Cedar’s Katie Larson hits against Desert Hills during the Region 9 volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

That’s based on the Utah High School Activities Association   4A girls state volleyball tournament bracket, which was released Wednesday morning.

Region 8’s Orem High School (23-6) drew the top overall seed in the playoffs while Region 11’s Green Canyon (20-7) is No. 2.

Desert Hills, fresh off capturing the Region 9 crown in a home sweep of Cedar Tuesday night, claimed a bye at No. 3.

Also earning a bye in the first round were No. 6 Hurricane and No. 8 Cedar.

After Saturday’s first-round games are played at home sites, the 4A volleyball action will shift to the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem starting Wednesday, Oct. 25.

The 4A state championship match is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at UVU.

Following is a glance at Region 9 teams in 4A state volleyball matches, Saturday, Oct. 21:

Bracket shows the schedule for the Utah High School Activities Association 4A state volleyball tournament, Oct. 18, 2023 | Image courtesy of Maxpreps, St. George News | Click to enlarge

No. 17 Tooele at No. 16 Dixie, 1 p.m.

The Flyers struggled against Region 9’s gauntlet of good teams and finished sixth in the region.

Dixie hosts a Tooele Buffaloes team that finished third in Region 10, compiling a 7-5 mark in region play and a 9-14 overall record.

The winner will face No. 1 overall seed Orem in the next round.

No. 19 Crimson Cliffs at No. 14 Uintah, 1 p.m.

The Mustangs will start on the road, facing a Uintah team from Region 8 sporting a 14-16 overall record, 3-7 in region play.

The winner of this match in Vernal will go on to face Desert Hills.

No. 22 Murray at No. 11 Snow Canyon, 1 p.m.

The Warriors will host Region 10’s Spartans in St. George with a chance to play Hurricane in the next round. 

Murray finished in a last-place tie with a 2-10 region mark and a 6-21 overall effort.

Awaiting the winner of this match is Hurricane, last seen sweeping Snow Canyon 3-0 on the final day of the regular season. 

Around Southern Utah, Canyon View earned the No. 4 seed in 3A and will go to UVU.

In 2A, Parowan got the No. 1 seed, while Kanab is No. 2. And the 1A bracket is led by top-seeded Panguitch.

Thunder rumbles in Region 9

While Tuesday night’s showdown for the region crown ended in a sweep, the scores indicate how close the match actually was as both teams were highly competitive.

Cedar threatened to rally in each set before falling to the Thunder 25-19, 25-23, 25-22.

Hallee Heath (right) and the Desert Hills back line readies for a Cedar serve in the Region 9 girls volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

“I know this one went three but I felt like it was just as competitive as that one up in Cedar,” Desert Hills coach Craig Allred told St. George News after the Thunder hoisted the Region 9 trophy in front of its student section.

He referred to the first match between these two region rivals. In Cedar City, the Reds jumped ahead two sets to none before Desert Hills rallied to win in five sets on Sept. 19.

“They’re a super-good team. It’s back and forth every time when we play them,” Allred said about the Reds. “I thought defensively they were scrappy and they did a good job of limiting our middles.” 

It turned out to be a crowning moment in more ways than one as Desert Hills celebrated senior night along with the victory.

Looking from a perspective of talent alone, Jayla Fowler, Kara Richins, Lauren Larkin, Brooklyn Wilson, Trinity Pilimai, Tatum Gardner and Taylor Graff might be the deepest senior volleyball class Desert Hills has ever had.

“I just love everyone of those kids,” Allred said, noting that some were freshmen when he first became a head coach. “Maybe there’s a little more special bond with them. They’re just a really awesome group of kids.”

Pilimai led the way Tuesday night, pounding home nine kills against the Reds. Larkin and Brooklyn Robinson posted eight kills apiece.

Hallee Heath finished with five kills and Graff rounded out the Thunder attack with five kills of her own. 

Gardner led the Thunder with 29 assists in the win.

“They’ve worked their butts off to be able to get to where they want to be,” Allred said, adding that the win on senior night took the sting out of not finishing undefeated in Region 9.

“I think setting the stage for this, the atmosphere in the game right here tonight, was really fun too,” Allred said.

Final Standings, Region 9 girls volleyball standings (region, overall):

  1. Desert Hills  11-1, 21-10
  2. Cedar 10-2, 17-10
  3. Hurricane 9-3, 22-7
  4. Snow Canyon 6-6, 16-9
  5. Crimson Cliffs 5-8, 9-19
  6. Dixie 2-10, 11-16
  7. Pine View 0-13, 1-25

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric George Goold came to St. George News from southwestern Colorado, where he was a radio news reporter. He has been a journalist for over 20 years in five different states. He graduated with a master's degree in English from Kansas State University and writes nonfiction as well. Goold has been published in Sunstone Magazine and has done multiple public readings about local history. When he has free time, he enjoys chess, movies and dogs.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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