Football: Semifinal match up will have the feel of a championship game
November 11th, 2009When Alta and Bingham played each other in the second week of the season, the game had a playoff atmosphere. Fans overflowed the bleachers, TV cameras were there and the players played as if the season depended on it.
That was just a preseason game and I can't imagine what this week's rematch will be like because for one team, the season is on the line.
It was a tale of two halves in that first game. Alta's speedy
receivers found the holes in Bingham's defense and dominated in the first half, taking a 28-14 lead after two quarters. Then it was Bingham's bruising run game that allowed them to score 24 straight points and take the come-from-behind victory.
"I like that we were able to come back in a huge game early in the season," Bingham coach Dave Peck said. "Our kids responded. They didn't hang their heads."
What makes this match-up so exciting is that it is always a close game. So when the Hawks and Miners meet again on the Turf at Rice Eccles Stadium, it will be another chapter in this storied rivalry.
--Maggie Thach
Volleyball: Deja vu
November 7th, 2009This is all starting to feel a little familiar and that's not because I have been to the volleyball state tournament for the past few years. It's because the teams playing for both Class 5A and 4A title are the same teams that played for it last year.
Lone Peak and Pleasant Grove will battle it out for the top prize in 5A and the schools from down south — Snow Canyon and Dixie — will again face each other. This is the fourth straight time the Warriors and Flyers will play each other for a title. The met for the first time in 2006, the last year the two schools' were in 3A. Snow Canyon has won every meeting.
Lone Peak has been the favorite the last few years but will be more of an underdog against Pleasant Grove. The two play in the same region and the Vikings have won both games during the season. Pleasant Grove is stacked and have multiple weapons on offense. But Lone Peak always plays big in the state title match.
--Maggie Thach
Volleyball: Quarterfinals are set
November 6th, 2009Spanish Fork beat Mountain Crest 28-26, 15-25, 25-12, 25-20 in the last first round game of the day. Here is how the quarterfinals look.
Dixe vs. Mountain View
This game is going on right now and Dixie is up two games. Mountain View is a scrappy team though and won't go down quietly.
Sky View vs. Highland
Bountiful vs. Snow Canyon
Spanish Fork vs. Lehi
This will be the best match-up of the quarterfinals. Lehi beat out Olympus but it wasn't easy. It took five games and the final score was 34-32 22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-11.
The quarterfinals for Class 5A is just starting. Lone Peak and Northridge is getting ready to play. Here's what the 5A brackets look like.
Lone Peak vs. Northridge
Davis vs. Brighton
Layton vs. Pleasant Grove
Bingham vs. Cottonwood
--Maggie Thach
Volleyball: Early round scores
November 6th, 2009We're about a little more than halfway through with the first rounds of the Class 4A and Class 5A state tournament here at UVU and there have been some surprising scores so far.
In Class 5A, Lone Peak easily advances with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-19 victory over Taylorsville this morning. Northridge, the No. 1 seed from Region 1 battled against Murray and came out on top 22-25, 25-19, 25-5, 25-9. In the upset of the day so far, Davis — the No. 4 seed from Region 1 — beat Hunter —the No. 1 seed from Region 2 — 25, 18, 23-25, 18-25, 25-21, 15-13. That has slowed things a bit at UVU. Layton surprisingly swept Skyline 25-14, 25-22, 25-23.
In 4A, outcomes have been predictable. Mountain View beat Stansbury 25-19, 25-20, 25-20 an Sky View took care of Uintah 25,22, 8-25, 25-22, 26-24. The top seed from Region 6, Highland, had no trouble against West Lake as it beat the first-year program 25-15, 25-17, 25-12. Bountiful came out ahead 25-19, 25-13, 25-17 over Box Elder. I expected more competition in the Dixie/Springville match up but the Flyers won in three, 25-18, 27-25, 25-19. There's an intense game going on right now in the most intriguing match-up in the Class 4A first round between Olympus and Lehi.
More scores to come......
--Maggie Thach
My football picks
November 5th, 2009A few surprises and I went on a limb and picked a few upsets. Have at them and have fun discussing.
Class 5A
Cottonwood at Alta – Jones's pick: Alta
Hawks destroyed the Colts in first week. More of the same here
Syracuse at Bingham – Jones's pick: Bingham
Miners much too strong offensively to stumble here
Pleasant Grove at Davis – Jones's pick: Davis
A bit of an upset here, but Darts advance here
Lone Peak at Hunter – Jones's pick: Lone Peak
The Knights can advance all the way to title game
Class 4A
Mountain Crest at Highland – Jones's pick: Mountain Crest
This figures to be a shootout. The Mustangs love shootouts
Spanish Fork at Timpview – Jones's pick: Timpview
Dons are good, but Timpview's on another level
Bonneville at Dixie – Jones's pick: Bonneville
Love the Lakers defense. That proves to be difference here
Woods Cross at Springville – Jones's pick: Springville
Red Devils continue dream season
Class 3A
Morgan at Hurricane – Jones's pick: Hurricane
Hurricane's good enough to make it back to title game
Cedar at Juan Diego – Jones's pick: Juan Diego
Juan Diego's good enough to repeat as state champs
Delta at Park City – Jones's pick: Park City
This may not be close
Bear River at Wasatch – Jones's pick: Bear River
Wasatch ride ends here
Class 2A
San Juan vs. South Sevier – Jones's pick: South Sevier
SS makes the title game
Grand vs. South Summit – Jones's pick: South Summit
Balance is the key for this team
Class 1A
Duchesne vs. Monticello – Jones's pick: Duchesne
By a landslide
Altamont vs. Rich – Jones's pick: Rich
Rich is the title favorite in this class
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