LCA wins first state volleyball title

Orem » Layton Christian's Jasmine Porter remembers walking through the tunnel, surrounded by smoke, seeing the flashing lights and hearing the crowd cheer for the Eagles as they walked out on the court to play for a Class 1A state basketball title when she was a freshman.

Only, she wasn't playing. She was a manager for the boys' basketball team, where her brother B.J. was one of the stars. She was in awe as she watched him play for a championship.

"I said to myself then, 'Before I leave [LCA], I'm going to get me one of those, some way, somehow,' " Porter said.

Now as a senior, Porter found a way to get a state title. She led the Eagles to a 25-21, 25-16, 25-23 win

over South Summit for LCA's first girls' volleyball championship in school history. She had 17 kills, 10 digs and 10 blocks.

"Winning one of my own and going through it myself," Porter said, "it's amazing."

A state title was the only way for the Eagles to top a 23-1 season, including a 23-game winning streak.

"I'm still taking it all in. It's absolutely overwhelming," Layton Christian coach Joy Nakaishi said. "This is my eighth year coaching. Did I know we were going to win it this year? No, but I couldn't have asked for anything better."

Even though it was LCA's first experience in a championship match, the players weren't nervous. The Eagles had beaten South Summit twice in region play already and were

confident. Beating San Juan in the quarterfinals Thursday led LCA to believe it was capable of taking a state championship.

Since South Summit had faced the Eagles before, the Wildcats knew what to expect . They planned to key in on Porter but they didn't account for sophomore middle Melina Bachtar. She had 14 kills and 10 digs for LCA.

"We've played them before and I just remembered when they serve and the things they did," Bachtar said. "I just wanted to dominate and have my team dominate."

The Wildcats felt the nerves coming into the game and didn't really play to their abilities until the third game. By then, it was too late.

But considering how the Wildcats started the season, South Summit coach Becky Dees said just getting to the championship match was a big accomplishment.

"This team has had three coaches in four year and it's been a roller coaster," Dees said. "But this is an up. They believed in themselves and when they play like that, they're amazing to watch. We've come a long way."

mthach@sltrib.com