Highschool boys volleyball: Morgan dethrones Grantsville in five-set 3A championship thriller

Resilience was the theme of No. 3 Morgan’s postseason run, significantly within the quarterfinal towards American Heritage the place it survived a 2-1 set deficit. The Trojans additionally dropped their first set within the semifinal towards Salt Lake Academy however received three straight to take the 3-1 lead.

By the point it dropped the fourth set in a detailed 33-31 rating, Morgan knew it had what it took to be resilient as soon as extra and take the 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 31-33 and 15-13 win within the 3A championship towards defending champion Grantsville.

“It was all-around A-Group effort that final set,” mentioned senior Jack Komenda. Komenda led the Trojans with 20 kills within the championship match. “Clearly we have been actually drained on the finish, however we pushed by and got here out with a dub. So tremendous excited and grateful for this chance.”

Grantsville was the Cinderella group on this 12 months’s state event regardless of being the defending champions. The Cowboys entered because the eighth seed however made it to the championship, beating No. 5 seed North Sanpete and top-seeded Ogden on the way in which.

The Cowboys saved their momentum going with a 25-23 first-set win and put Morgan on its again foot. The Trojans protection began to come back alive within the second and third units. Madden Bell led the protection on the web with 12 blocks, however Caleb Stephens and Komenda added 11 and 10 blocks, respectively, serving to Morgan win each the second and third units 25-21.

Grantsville saved a small lead by the fourth set and earned a 24-22 lead. Morgan crawled again to a 25-24 lead and an opportunity to clinch the championship. The Cowboys and Trojans fought forwards and backwards, with Morgan incomes three separate set factors nevertheless it by no means capitalized.

Grantsville’s Hunter Powell helped in holding it alive within the fourth set with kill after kill. Powell additionally had a block on a Morgan set level to tie the sport at 30-30. The Cowboys ultimately pushed the sport to a fifth set with a 33-31 fourth-set win.

“We have been drained in the beginning and close to the tip of the fifth set and the fourth,” Komenda mentioned. “We obtained it. We saved pushing by and got here out with that dub.”

Komenda performed almost your entire recreation and his dad and head coach, Kyle Komenda, knew Jack wanted some relaxation.

“He intestine(ted) it out, it wasn’t simple,” mentioned Kyle Komenda. “(I) even pulled him out. It was like I needed to yank him out of the sport, however he wanted to take a seat and get his legs again. He simply actually left every part on the ground.”

With an 8-8 tie and a 3A crown on the road, Coach Komenda knew it was time to place Jack again on the ground. Morgan instantly was rewarded with three scores by the hands of Jack, which helped result in a 12-10 lead.

“He wanted to be on the entrance row, we want him on the entrance row,” mentioned Kyle Komenda. “We’ve obtained some actually succesful gamers that we’re actually enthusiastic about. We’re bringing them again subsequent season and I’m like, ‘You recognize what? No higher expertise than stepping into the sport proper now and see what you are able to do within the state championship.’ They usually responded superbly and gave him an opportunity at resting his legs.”

As the ultimate ball fell and Morgan solidified its 15-13 fifth-set win, the feelings have been out instantly for the Trojans as they knew their purpose of profitable a state championship was over.

“We all know there’s a legacy right here and that’s a part of the explanation why I agreed to educate this group and it’s the problem we needed to take,” Kyle Komenda mentioned. “It was our purpose final season, we fell quick, in order that was our motto all 12 months, ‘unfinished enterprise.’”