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Richfield • Kanab's Katie Glover watched despairingly from beside the bench as the starters rushed through the human-tunnel formed by her fellow teammates. Tears accumulated as the student section chanted in unison for the opening tip. This was her moment, and if not for the brace stretching from her lower thigh to mid-calf, she'd be the one jumping at midcourt.

After tearing her ACL playing volleyball before her junior season, Glover commuted to St. George four times weekly, undergoing physical therapy to strengthen her once-healthy knee — fighting through each session behind the dream of playing for a state championship. She returned this season, improving Kanab's regular season wins to 15 games by supplying the missing ingredient: An inside presence.

In Friday's Class 2A semifinals, Glover — still donning the familiar brace — powered home a second-chance layup with 34 seconds left to officially complete her rehab by cementing the 56-51 win over North Sevier for Kanab's first appearance in the state championship in more than 20 years.

"It had to come. This was ours. I felt it. There was a reason why we didn't last year," Glover said at the Sevier Valley Center after finishing with 20 points and 18 rebounds on Friday. "[Last year] made me cry every time. Every day, that was the goal — to get back and have the best senior year."

North Sevier, which fell short of advancing to the final stage for the second consecutive season, understood the difficulties of defending Kanab's inside and outside skills. Wolves coach Lexa Larsen credited Glover's contributions as the difference in the first meeting between the two — a 46-36 Cowboy win in late December. Although forwards Peyton Torgerson (13 points, eight boards) and Hailey Higgs (18 points) played superbly, Kanab corralled 38 rebounds, including 20 on the offensive end, compared to Sevier's 26.

The second-chance opportunities correlated with Sevier's 19 team-fouls, allowing Kanab to convert 15 of 21 free throws.

"For what's she gone through, I'm just so happy for her," said Kanab coach Mickey Houston, wiping his own tears this time. "I had to sit on the bench with her last year, and it sucked."

Before Glover established law and order in the second half, it was the sharpshooting Cowboys that shined light into an early hole. Peyton Torgerson's corner triple extended the Wolves' lead into double figures late in the second quarter before Kanab journeyed on an 11-0 run spearheaded by consecutive 3-pointers from Aliesha Houston and Shaylee McDonald to close the half with a 29-28 advantage.

"We started attacking the basket more," said McDonald, who finished with a game-high 22 points despite missing her first six attempts from the perimeter. With 20.8 second remaining, McDonald appeared concussed from a blow to the head, but after wobbling off the court with aid, she returned to hit the final two free throws.

McDonald, whom many consider to be far and away the top player in the classification, said she received a concussion diagnostic from trainers before re-entering.

"I don't really remember when I got hit. When I got the ball, everything was blurry, and I couldn't really see," McDonald explained. "I knew that my team needed me to finish the game, so I wasn't going to let them down."

Kanab will play Delta at 5 p.m. Saturday. The two split the season series, with Delta winning the first 58-42, and the Cowboys holding on for a 58-56 decision after the Rabbits rallied from 16 points down before ultimately missing the would-be tying layup in the second game.

Twitter: @trevorphibbs —

Kanab 56, North Sevier 51

R Katie Glover finishes with 20 points and 18 rebounds, while Shaylee McDonald adds 22 points.

• Kanab closes the second quarter on an 11-0 run for a one-point lead at intermission.

• Hailey Higgs and Peyton Torgerson combine for 31 points in the loss.