All-Valley Volleyball

Feelings of deja vu ricocheted through the 4A volleyball season as 2004 came to a close Nov. 6 at UVSC.

Three teams stood out at the beginning of the season, and those three teams were still standing at the end as all three made it to the final four once again. Last year's champs, the Lone Peak Knights, were determined to prove they could win it all again, and in the effort dispel all rumors that they were undeserving of last year's title.

The runners-up from a season ago, the Pleasant Grove Vikings wanted nothing more than to seek revenge for last year's loss in the finals. And last year's No. 4, the Provo Bulldogs, wanted to erase the bitter memories of a semifinal collapse to the eventual champs last year.

In the end only the Knights got their wish as the final finishes were eerily similar to last year's title run. Once again Lone Peak beat out the Bulldogs in five games in the semis, and Provo went on to a fourth place finish, though this time the loss was to Murray, the only team to break into the final four this year that wasn't there last season.

The Vikings and Knights once again battled to the bitter finish as Region 7 ruled the nets for the third year in a row. They proved depth and great teamwork always beat one big star as both teams relied heavily on both their starters and their reserves. The Knights went 10 deep throughout the tournament and the Vikings followed suit, routinely playing 10 of their own. Among those players were Pleasant Grove's Kortney Robinson and Lone Peak's Morgan Robinson, cousins taking it to each other on the court, though their friendship runs deep as soon as the match ends.

Next season the Knights lose only four seniors in Robinson, Lindsey Riley, Anna Lott and Paige Palmer. They'll still have a tough young core with two titles under their belts, and they'll be led by phenom setter and Utah Valley MVP Ashley Hamilton and the solid and powerful arms of Jackie Fotu and Christie Carpenter. The Vikings only lose two of their top-notch team, including the jump serving sensation Jalynn Thornton and opposite Breanne Winger. But two members of the All-Valley team — Hailey Jeppson and Kortney Robinson — remain, as do setters JaNae Mortensen and Allyce Wilson.

Provo will also remain tough if they can replace setter Cassie King, leaving all the other teams with a tough road to navigate. The Orem Tigers finished eighth in the tournament, and three other Utah Valley teams made the tournament, including American Fork, Springville and Payson.

These 13 players were the toughest of the tough throughout 2004. The MVP and 12 other All Utah Valley team members all shone yearlong in more ways than one.