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The Maple Mountain boys volleyball team celebrates a point during a Region 7 match against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain coach Geoff Wright, left, talks to his team during a time out at a Region 7 boys volleyball against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain's Johan Stoop (26) and Mac Hillman set up a block in a Region 7 boys volleyball match against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain's Trey Thornton, right, takes a swing in a Region 7 boys volleyball match against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Logan Johnston of Salem Hills (9) leaps for an attack during a Region 7 boys volleyball match against Maple Mountain on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Salem Hills fans hold signs in support of the boys volleyball team during a Region 7 match against Maple Mountain on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain's Trey Thornton, right, attacks the ball during a Region 7 boys volleyball match against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Maple Mountain's Gavin Pricer (36) attacks the ball during a Region 7 boys volleyball match against Salem Hills on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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Jaxson Cowley, center, of Salem Hills is honored on Senior Night before a Region 7 match against Maple Mountain in Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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The Salem Hills boys volleyball team celebrates a point during a Region 7 match against Maple Mountain on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

The Maple Mountain boys volleyball starts every practice with the word of the week.

The word to start this week was “relentless.”

That word aptly describes the Golden Eagles season and Tuesday’s 3-0 Region 7 sweep (25-23, 25-12, 25-17) of Salem Hills was another example of how much trouble this team is going to be in next week’s state tournament.

“I’m pumped,” said junior outside hitter Trey Thornton, who was leading the state in kills (347) coming into the match. “We’re ready and we’re fired up. I know we have a target on our backs but we’re going to go out there and give it our best.”

Maple Mountain (21-2 overall, 11-1 Region 7) had its hands full in the first set with the Skyhawks, who were celebrating their Senior Night and played well early. Scrapy play and a supportive home crowd led Salem Hills to an 11-6 lead before the Golden Eagles settled down and started to get back in the set. The Skyhawks led 23-21 but Maple Mountain scored the final four points of the set. Setter Taft Hillman got a kill and at set point, Gavin Pricer served an ace for a 25-23 victory.

“You saw it tonight, Salem came out really hard in that first set,” Golden Eagles coach Geoff Wright said. “They had the energy on the Senior Night and a good home crowd. We pulled it out in the very end. We said, ‘Hey, guys, you’ve done this before. You’re family. Get out there and do your job.'”

Maple Mountain dominated the rest of the match behind the attacking of Thornton, a left-handed 6-foot-6 junior who moved to Spanish Fork from Alabama last summer.

“He’s a great kid,” Wright said. “The main thing you need to know about him is he’s grown into leadership. That was hard for him.”

Thornton said he’s committed to play at BYU, likely the first commitment from the state since the Utah High School Activities Association approved boys volleyball for high school play.

“I think Utah is pretty ripe,” Wright said. “It’s the right demographic and there are a lot of great athletes in this state. I coached in California before and there’s just a different kind of student here and different kind of family support, certainly in Utah County. Starting this program, I didn’t know what to expect. We started in June and played some beach volleyball just to get to know the boys and have some fun. As soon as I saw the boys and their potential, I thought, ‘We’ve got something here.’ And I think boys volleyball is only going to grow in this state.”

Thornton and his teammates will go into next week’s 5A state tournament as one of the favorites.

“Our team chemistry is probably on the best in the state,” he said. “We’ve been going through the highs and lows with this team and that really helps you bond. It’s really helpful. I think we’re probably one of the biggest and most physical teams so having that in your back pocket really helps.”

Wright added: “I think we’re ready. We’ve come together. The boys are great friends and that chemistry is good. We have great senior leadership and we just work well together. Our overall motto or theme for the year is ‘Family. Family for us. Forget about me. I love you.’ At first it was awkward for the boys saying that and buying into it, but I think it’s really brought them together. They hang out and we have dinner together. That chemistry is really the difference.”

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