ST. GEORGE – The 2015 Utah 3A State Volleyball Tournament looked like a Region 9 invitational. The only disappointment was that the championship went to non-region team Morgan, the first non-Region 9 team to win the title in four years.
The four southern Utah teams at the state tourney finished second, third, fifth and sixth. It is not a stretch to say that Region 9 has been the dominant region in 3A volleyball for years. Snow Canyon took home the championship trophy in 2014. Hurricane won it all in 2013. Desert Hills was the state champion in 2012.
If the preseason polls are correct, Desert Hills will represent Region 9 again this year. The Lady Thunder received five out of six possible first-place votes and an overall point total of 35. They were followed by Dixie with one first-place vote and 30 points. Both teams return nearly all of last year’s teams. And Desert Hills has added three-time all state performer Charity Bradley.
Coaches were asked to select players not on their teams as preseason player of the year and also as impact players at their positions. Media also contributed to votes for player of the year and preseason teams. Bradley and Desert Hills’ Rachel Winters received equal votes and were chosen as co-players of the year. Below is the poll and the players for the preseason teams:
2016 Region 9 Volleyball preseason coaches poll (1st place votes in parenthesis)
1. Desert Hills 35 (5)
2. Dixie 30 (1)
3. Pine View 23
4. Snow Canyon 20
5. Hurricane 10
6. Cedar 8
Preseason All-Region 9
Co-Player of the Year: Rachel Winters (DH), Charity Bradley (DH)
First Team
Setter – Cassidy Murdock (PV)
Libero – Kylee Fields (Ced)
OH/MB – Charity Bradley (DH)
OH/MB – Rachel Winters (DH)
OH/MB – Tyler Stilson (Dix)
OH/MV – Sammie Johnston (SC)
Second Team
Setter – Brooklyn Wright (Dix)
Libero – Katelyn Taylor (DH)
OH/MB – DeAubrey Bowers (Dix)
OH/MB – Cydnee McGuire (PV)
OH/MB – Kansas Lytle (Hurr)
OH/MB – Maddi Clark (DH)
Honorable Mention: Kaylee Carter (DH), Sierra Davis (Hurr), Camryn Johnson (SC), Risha Tiatia (Dix)
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