Jamie Cooper and Taelyr Tebbs (cq) celebrate Panguitch's state championship win over the Piute Thunderbirds, in 1A state volleyball championship game in Orem, Saturday, October 31, 2009 Panguitch won the match 3-0. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)
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Orem » After going five-for-five against Piute this season, Panguitch coach Troy Norris didn't want to face the Thunderbirds yet another time with the state 1A championship on the line.

So, of course, Saturday evening's championship game was Panguitch-Piute VI and had the same results: The Bobcats made it six-for-six with a convincing 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-22) win in the McKay Events Center.

After dispatching defending champion Rich in the semifinals, the Bobcats (31-1) won their second title in three years by concluding the season sweep of their Region 20 rival.

"I did not want to see Piute again," Norris admitted. "It's not easy to beat them. We know they're darned good, ... one of the best teams in the state in any classification. It also says a lot about our girls to beat Piute again. They're fighters."

Led by Norris' daughter Kalani, the Bobcats controlled each set practically from the beginning, taking a 15-8 lead in the first, 16-8 in the second and 15-9 in the third.

"That was real big," Norris said. "That was a key for us, with us being here [at state] and them not being here before, we had to jump out on them."

Piute (16-9) made late rallies in the first and third set, but was met by Kalani Norris at clutch time.

The junior finished with a match-high 26 kills.

"It's fun to have your daughter on the team," Norris beamed. "She's

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carried a lot of weight on her shoulders, but so has everybody else. Kalani can hit anywhere, sees blocks and goes around single blocks unlike any hitter I've seen before.".

Taelyr Tebbs and Breanne Bateman added nine and seven kills, respectively, while sophomore Natasha Barney -- a question mark at the start of the season -- delivered in running the Bobcat offense.

"That's where we were nervous," Norris said about Barney. "She stepped in and did phenomenal."

Piute

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1A volleyball championship
made its best run in the opening set behind Amanda Bagley, who made three kills and a block on a 5-point run that gave the Thunderbirds a 22-21 lead. After Panguitch broke serve, Norris registered two kills that gave the Bobcats the first set.

Down 17-11, Piute got as close as 23-21 and 24-22 in the nightcap.

Bagley led the Bobcats with 16 kills, followed by Kandace Gleave with 13.

Storylines

Panguitch wins its second 1A title in three years by eliminating perennial power Rich in the semis and defeating Piute in the finals.

» Kalani Norris has a match-high 26 kills.