Westlake boys win the Saratoga Springs school’s first Utah high school championship

In 2009, Saratoga Springs’ Westlake High opened its doors to students for the first time. Since then, the Thunder have yet to win a state title in any boys UHSAA-sanctioned sport.

Until now.

On Friday night, the Westlake Thunder boys basketball team captured its first state championship in program history, comfortably putting away Bingham 71-55 in the Utah 6A state title game. And it did so playing Thunder-branded basketball.

Westlake’s team features minimal transfers, something that head coach Nate Carling prides himself on.

“It’s high school sports. I’m old school. This is how it should be,” Carling said about the makeup of his team. “I remember 10 years ago when these [players] were hanging over the bleachers giving me high fives at these games, and they just stuck with it. They understand the culture. What a great reward to be a part of this.”

Two of those players who grew up in the system were the difference makers in Friday’s win over Bingham.

Seniors Graydin Anderson and Brody Thompson scored 22 and 24, respectively, hitting two 3-pointers each.

Thompson had a unique journey to the state title game, not playing significant varsity minutes until this season.

“Brody’s kind of a late bloomer. He didn’t even play any varsity basketball last year,” Carling said. “In the locker room after our playoff loss last year, I pulled him aside and said, ‘Hey, next year you’re going to be a stud,’ and I don’t know, I guess I was right, because he sure was a stud tonight.”

Thompson averaged 12.27 points for the Thunder in his lone season as a varsity starter. His 24 points against Bingham were a game high.

Anderson’s path was different, but the victory meant just as much.

His 3-point buzzer beater to end the first half is something he says he will remember for years to come.

“As a kid, I just dreamt of hitting those shots, so I’ll remember that for the rest of my life,” Anderson said.

Friday’s win was the last in an impressive high school career for Anderson. During his senior season, he led the No. 1-seed Thunder in points per game with 13.5, and assists per game with 3.77.

Bingham, which made the game interesting but was always playing from behind in the second half, was led by Luke West and Parker Snedaker, who combined for 29 points. A 3-seed going into the state tournament, the Miners are still looking for their first state title since 2017.

When asked what it means to win the “old school” way, Carling gave a passionate answer about the state of high school athletics.

“This gives me a lot of hope for high school sports,” Carling said. “There’s a lot of stuff that I don’t love, but I’m really proud to get it the right way. We did it with kids that love each other and a community that loves them, and it’s pretty special what they did.”