"We're getting bumped up to 4-A, so this was good in order for us to prepare," Walter said. "We can't get any of the competition to come down to St. George so we have to come up here."
Snow Canyon, the defending Class 3-A champion, had the best competition in the state at the tournament. Among the 15 teams were Brighton and Lone Peak -- both in the Class 5-A championship game last year -- and Cottonwood, who took the 4-A title in 2006.
After two rounds of pool play, Snow Canyon beat 5-A Pleasant Grove but lost to Fremont for second place in the silver bracket. Lone Peak won the tournament, beating Cottonwood 28-26, 25-17, 27-29, 25-20 for the top spot in the gold bracket. Provo won the copper bracket.
"It's been good, just to see the other teams. It's been very competitive," Snow Canyon coach Alaina Parker said. "We get to see the little things we need to work on. We get to see where we're at as a team."
The match between Lone Peak and Cottonwood, probably the top team in its respective classifications, was one of the most exciting matches all day.
Every game was close and Lone Peak head coach Deanna Meyer said it was the most evenly-matched team they played against all day.
"I was really pleased with how my girls played consistently. They executed most of the time and grew as a team," Meyer said. "All my players played well."
And all the positive comments about the tournament will only mean an even better outcome next year.
"This is probably the best competition in Utah," Carbon coach Cristen Johnson said. "I'd come back to this tournament in a heartbeat."
f=interstate-black mthach@sltrib.com
Other scores from Saturday:
Pool play:
Lone Peak def. Snow Canyon 25-21, 21-25, 15-12
Brighton def. Fremont 29-27, 25-21
Lone Peak def. Fremon 25-19, 25-23
Brighton def. Snow Canyon 30-28, 20-25, 15-13
Snow Canyon def. Fremont 25-18, 22-25, 15-12
Lone Peak def. Brighton 25-17, 25-17
Cottonwood def. Pleasant Grove 25-18, 25-17
Morgan def. Carbon 15-25, 25-20, 15-10
Cottonwood def. Morgan 25-13, 25-19
Carbon def. Pleasant Grove 21-25, 25-20, 15-13
Morgan def. Pleasant Grove 25-21, 25-22
Cottonwood def. Carbon 25-17, 25-18
Idaho Falls def. North Sanpete 25-20, 25-17, 25-20
Dixie def. North Sanpete 26-24,25-20, 25-22
Idaho Falls def. Dixie 25-22, 17-25, 25-16, 25-21
Lehi def. Provo 18-25, 25-15, 15-8
Taylorsville def. Bingham 25-16, 25-18
Bingham def. Provo 25-17, 26-24
Lehi def. Taylorsville 25-17, 25-17
Lehi def. Bingham 25-22, 25-17
Taylorsville def. Provo 25-20, 25-23
Bracket play:
Gold
Lone Peak def. Morgan 25-20, 25-21, 25-21
Cottonwood def. Brighton 25-13, 25-23, 25-17
Lone Peak def. Cottowood 28-26, 25-17, 27-29, 25-20
Silver
Snow Canyon def. Pleasant Grove 21-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-21
Fremont def. Carbon 25-22, 25-12, 25-16
Fremont def. Snow Canyon 25-21, 18-25, 21-25, 25-21, 17-15
