End of an era: Bingham denies Lone Peak girls fifth straight state title
End of an era: Bingham denies Lone Peak girls fifth straight state title
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- Lone Peak freshman Peyton Warner gets fouled during the 6A state championship game against Bingham at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
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- Lone Peak players take the floor before the 6A state championship game against Bingham at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
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- Lone Peak senior Lave Holdcraft (right) goes up for the jump ball to start the 6A state championship game against Bingham at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
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- Lone Peak senior Lave Holdcraft goes up for a shot during the 6A state championship game against Bingham at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
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- Lone Peak senior Lave Holdcraft takes the floor before the 6A state championship game against Bingham at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.
SALT LAKE CITY — It was finally somebody else’s night to celebrate.
The Lone Peak girls basketball program had won four straight 6A state titles, electrifying performances at the highest level.
On Friday, Bingham finally broke that long streak, shutting down the Knights with an impenetrable zone defense and making all the right plays in a 49-33 victory at the Huntsman Center.
The No. 6 seed Miners (19-8) got great guard play from Stacia Peoples (14 points, seven rebounds, three assists) and jumped on top early, holding Lone Peak to single digits in each quarter to secure their first state title since winning back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.
“Losing sucks,” Knights head coach Nancy Warner said. “But there’s a lot to be proud of, and I’m proud of how the girls continue to fight through adversity all season. They truly are a special group for the way that they showed up for each other, for the way that they continue to fight no matter what, and continued to be a joy to coach along the way. I was just grateful to witness such great things this year, and grateful for our seniors who really have paved the way and then continue to step up for each other and really led this team this year despite what challenges they faced.”
The shooting struggles for Lone Peak were undeniable: The Knights finished a frightening 8 of 51 (16%) from the field and 4 of 25 (16%) from the 3-point line, never really finding a way through Bingham’s zone defense.
“We couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Warner said. “The zone stifled us and we couldn’t get great looks. I think we were a little late on some passes that didn’t get us set up properly. I think we just didn’t go up as strong as we normally do, and then we missed a few on the outside that we normally hit, too.”
Lone Peak led 8-4 midway through the first quarter after freshman Charlie Warner connected on back-to-back 3-pointers but Bingham went on a 7-0 run to close out the first eight minutes, Evalyn Roberts dropping in a long triple for a 13-8 advantage. The Miners led 23-15 at halftime and continued to build on that lead, up 29-17 after a People’s drive and score. It was a 21-point lead, 45-24, after People’s converted a 3-point play and a drive with 5:43 to play in the game.
Lone Peak managed to cause some turnovers with different presses and pressures but couldn’t convert on the other end.
Charlies Warner topped the Knights (16-11) with 16 points but was just 3 of 14 from the field.
Lone Peak lost 2025 Daily Herald Player of the Year and BYU commit Kennedy Woolston to an ACL injury 14 games into the season and also was without sophomore starter Maddie Pope for five games due to injury late in the season. The Knights endured an eight-game losing streak during the non-region schedule (mostly to out of state competition) but rallied to win the Region 3 title (7-1) and earn the No. 5 seed in the 6A tournament.
“I told them not to forget the journey,” Coach Warner said. “There was a lot to celebrate this year, and while it does suck right now, I think they can’t lose sight of the fact that they got here and that they did it together. The message I gave them is they’re going to find themselves in this situation again life. Life doesn’t always give you rainbows and glitter all the time. So you have to be ready, and you have to show up, and it’s hard. While they did it this season, their response from here is going to continue to have to be the same response. I said, ‘Let it hurt, because when it does hurt, it makes you better, because you find ways to get better from it and and not let yourself get back in situations like this as much.'”
Seniors Tati Harness and Lave Holdcraft will move on, but the Knights will return Warner’s two daughters (Charlie, a sophomore and Peyton, a freshman) as well as sophomores Pope and Huni Folau.
