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.
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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:
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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.
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“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):
- Desert Hills 11-1, 21-10
- Cedar 10-2, 17-10
- Hurricane 9-3, 22-7
- Snow Canyon 6-6, 16-9
- Crimson Cliffs 5-8, 9-19
- Dixie 2-10, 11-16
- Pine View 0-13, 1-25
Photo Gallery
![IMG_2681](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2681-1024x683.jpg)
Cedar's Emery Harrison hits against Desert Hills during the Region 9 volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
![IMG_2684](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2684-1024x683.jpg)
Cedar's Bird Allen and Annalyse Shimada (left) in a blocking battle with Desert Hill's Lauren Larkin during the Region 9 volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
![IMG_2687](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2687-1024x683.jpg)
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
![IMG_2713](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2713-scaled-e1697663060278-536x1024.jpg)
Kara Richins (3) serves for Desert Hills against Cedar in the Region 9 volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
![IMG_2722](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2722-scaled-e1697663146705-648x1024.jpg)
Brooklyn Wilson (5) serves for Desert Hills against Cedar in the Region 9 volleyball championship, St. George, Utah, Oct. 17, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
![IMG_2724 - Copy (2)](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2724-Copy-2-1024x683.jpg)
Hallee Heath (right) and the Desert Hills volleyball team went 3-1 and finished 3rd at the 4A girls state volleyball championship tournament, Orem, Utah, Oct. 26, 2023 | FIle photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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