Prep Sports: Journey to the Top

Bingham may be the best team in the state, but there's no doubt that Region 4 is the best league in the state. Looking at the playoff brackets, I wouldn't be surprised to see three teams make the semifinals. The league is that good. 

The biggest thing for the Mountain View volleyball team is not just winning but improving. And it's definitely clear that the Bruins have improved since last year. Mountain View went into the Class 4A playoffs last season as the No. 3 seed from Region 7.

After last night's thrilling five-game win over Lehi, the Bruins gave themselves a chance to be a No. 1 seed. The first meeting between these two teams this season was just as intense with Lehi coming out on top after five games. It was a defensive battle this time around as both teams played stellar defense. Chelsey Schofield came up big for Mountain View as she led the team with 21 kills and 36 digs.

With the win, the Bruins pull themselves into a tie with Lehi for first place. Both teams have a 6-2 region record. The Pioneers will are on a bit of a skid, losing to Orem and Mountain View back-to-back. Lehi will look to snap that with Provo and Westlake on the schedule in the coming weeks.

--Maggie Thach

The Woods Cross girls' soccer team overcame a few obstacles in its first round Class 4A playoff game against Orem on Tuesday. The Wildcats were playing a very strong team on its home field. But with the team back at full strength, the Wildcats were able to overcome those obstacles with a 2-1 win over the Tigers.

Woods Cross has gone through some health issues, with the toughest one being Kendra Pemberton's toe injury. She is an unquestioned leader on the team and provides a spark offensively. She played in her first full game back since shattering her right toe. Pemberton is still in pain but Woods Cross coach Kevin Rigby is just glad she's back. She had an assist and scored the golden goal to lift her team.

"You get Kendra back and it changes the dynamic of the team," Rigby said. "To have the team healthy again, it's a real boost."

That boost comes at a good time as the Wildcats are looking to peak. Woods Cross will play Springville, the No. 1 team from Region 8, in the second round next Tuesday.

-- Maggie Thach

Class 5A
1. Pleasant Grove (17-3)
Looking to finish region strong

2. Brighton (8-7)
Held off a strong AF team

3. Lone Peak (12-5)
Region 4 is tough

4. Cottonwood (16-2)
Picking up momentum

5. Davis (20-5)
At times, inconsistent but talented

Class 4A
1. Snow Canyon (22-4)
Could be best team in the state

2. Olympus (17-5)
Played tough in Utah Classic

3. Dixie (12-8)
Had ups and down in Utah Classic

4. Spanish Fork (9-4)
Looking for sixth straight win

5. Springville (20-6)
Lost close one to Spanish Fork

Class 3A
1. Hurricane (17-10)
Holding its own vs. 5A and 4A teams

2. Richfield (17-2)
Can Wildcats win a 3A title?

3. Morgan (13-5)
Staying strong in Region 11

4. Juan Diego (9-2)
Back with sweep over Bear River

5. North Sanpete (10-6)
Fell to scrappy Delta team

Class 2A
1. South Sevier (11-4)
Took close match over Grand?

2. Grand (13-2)
Still got a shot at the region title

3. South Summit (14-8)
Beat bigger schools in Utah Classic

4. Layton Christian (15-1)
LCA dominant in Region 14

5. Enterprise (18-3)
Strong in all areas on the court

Class 1A
1. Panguitch (16-1)
Pulled out five game match over Piute

2. Piute (7-5)
On Bobcats' heels

3. Rich (6-2)
Finding a rhythm

4. St. Joseph (11-2)
Last two wins have been sweeps

5. Monticello (10-5)
Looking to finish season strong

Davis coach Jamie Fox didn't know what to expect from her team at the beginning of the year. Her team is very young with only three seniors and in order to be successful, the Darts need a big contribution from its sophomores.

The Darts have some height and smart players but when Davis lost to Weber earlier in the region schedule, it seemed Davis might be headed for a spot somewhere in the middle of the Region 1 pack.

But Davis has played to its potential lately and has made an argument for the region championship. After its loss to Weber, Davis beat its next six opponents, including early-season favorite Layton.

Still, the Darts are weathering the ups and downs of having a young team. Though Davis has gotten up to play heavyweights like Layton, the team has had trouble against a solid Northridge team.

Tomorrow, Davis will play Weber for the second time and after that, the Darts play teams they have beaten before. The test is on to see if the Darts can maintain their high level of play to finish the season strong. Heading into the week, the Darts are 6-3 in region play while Layton and Northridge are both 7-2.

--Maggie Thach