Midvale • Lone Peak junior KJ Burgess smirked in the middle of a point. She had just absorbed a vicious kill attempt by a Copper Hills outside hitter, digging the attempt with apparent ease. Her smile told the story of a quiet confidence that couldn’t help but seep out.
The Knights took that confidence and translated it into a 6A state volleyball championship Saturday. They beat Copper Hills in four sets (25-18, 20-25, 25-18, 25-23).
“I think we felt confident in doing our jobs, in doing the work, and doing it together,” Knights coach Reed Carlson said.
With the victory, Lone Peak has won nine girls' volleyball state championships. It won three straight from 2016-2018 before losing to Copper Hills in the semifinals last season.
The Grizzlies had a 21-match winning streak heading into Saturday. Copper Hills beat Pleasant Grove in the semifinals Friday for the chance to compete for a state championship. The Vikings beat the Grizzlies in the title match last year.
Lone Peak senior Lauren Jardine, who committed to play volleyball for the University of Wisconsin, said she’s had Carlson as a coach for four and a half years.
“He’s like my second dad,” she said.
Jardine said she felt confident her team was capable of winning a championship.
“We’ve played so much, we’ve played so hard,” Jardine said. “The fact that we were able to come in and get it done makes me really, really happy.”
