Orem • Timpview's Rachel Stone couldn't comprehend it. The senior middle blocker had played for the Thunderbirds through the lean years, from 2008 to 2010, when they had won only three region games from 2008 to 2010.

So it was hard for her to put into words what, after years of losing and frustration, she was precisely feeling when Timpview knocked off Region 8 rival Salem Hills in a five-set comeback for the Class 4A state volleyball championship Saturday night at Utah Valley University.

"It still hasn't hit me," Stone said. "All that time we've spent working — it's finally paid off. It's hard to believe it's happened."

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It was like a dream for the Thunderbirds, winning the region title, crashing the finals and beating the rival that had beaten them twice before during the season. With only two seniors but an unshakeable confidence, Timpview won it all in its first state tournament appearance in 13 years.

"The first three years, it was all about changing the mentality — that's a hard thing to do," coach Kristen Bailey said. "We worked hard and hammered that in all year, that idea that we could win. And finally, in these early tournaments, they started believing it."

The Thunderbirds needed every ounce of that belief, finding themselves down two sets in the championship. Salem Hills appeared more composed and less mistake-prone, and hitter Macky Treanor was nearly unstoppable from the wing.

Defensively, Timpview was letting balls drop and appeared to be confused. Bailey wasn't afraid to dig into her team for the rough start.

"I told Katie Jamison, our libero, 'Are you going to end your career letting those balls drop in front of you, or are you going to sprawl out and dig it out?' " Bailey said.

Jamison responded, and so did the rest of the team. The Thunderbirds immediately took a big lead to open the third set, and everyone seemed to be diving for balls. The front line also took a harder stance on Treanor, and even though she finished with 37 kills, she was blocked often late in the game.

Momentum seemed to roll Timpview's way as they took the third and then the fourth. And the T-birds ate it up.

"We never thought we were going to lose," said sophomore hitter Lauryn Dela Cruz, who finished with 17 kills. "All year, our team has just pushed and pushed. We knew we had this."

But even as the confidence surged, the match remained a close affair. The final set was tied 12 times, and the Thunderbirds barely defended a Salem Hill match point. But when the Thunderbirds had the chance to win, they did, as Lennon Magnum blocked a Treanor shot.

The emotion flooded into the team, as memories of frustrating seasons past, months-long two-a-day practices and all the setbacks along the way finally were worth it. And the young Timpview squad was already looking forward to what the future might bring.

"Gosh, it's just my sophomore year," Dela Cruz said. "We want to be back here. We want to do this again."

kgoon@sltrib.com

Twitter: @kylegoon —

Storylines Timpview battles from behind

R Championship • Timpview 3, Salem Hills 2 (22-25, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 16-14)

Third-place game • Skyline 3, Olympus 0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-14)

Fifth-place game • Bountiful 3, Sky View 1 (19-25, 25-13, 25-18, 25-19)

Sixth-place game • Orem 3, Mountain Crest 1 (25-20, 25-18, 26-28, 25-14)