OCR Text |
Show N E W S Spanish Fork I'm proud to be a Don in Title Town Covering what matters most A6-FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2006 FHySICAL X SPOSH AE DI C I H€ PIER 49 PIZZA f in Love With Pizza Again!"* South Main *J IggamW' PJJRTER S AIR CONDITIONING 180 West 500 So U l i l ^ -Randy Tuckett ig^EastiOO North - The Inside Scoop Lane Henderson A little boy was heard talking to himself as he strode through his backyard, baseball cap in place and toting ball and bat. "I'm the greatest hitter in the world," he said proudly. Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung, and missed. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and repeated to himself, "I'm the greatest hitter ever!" Once again he tossed the ball into the air, swung and missed. He paused a moment to examine the ball and bat more carefully. Then, once again he threw the ball into the air as he said with more emphasis, "I'm the greatest hitter who ever lived!" He swung hard, Trieste Bills / Spanish Fork News but alas, missed a third time. "Wow!" he exclaimed. "What a pitcher!" Your GRAND ENTRY: The Dons rode into town with style. Sirens and lights announced the arrival of the State Champions. attitude does determine your altitude. Another boy came up to me after the Spanish Fork took their brooms up she did what she had to do. Her senior championship baseball game and asked north and swept the 5A softball title leadership was instrumental in leading if he could borrow my pen. I asked on Thursday with a 4-0 victory over a young team to victory. Her value why and he simply said I want to get an Timpanogos. On Friday, the baseball was measured by intangibles. Not, an autograph. I asked from which player. He team did the same with a 12-3 pounding overpowering pitcher but a solid pitcher said any player will do. It finally hit me over Jordan. This historic feat has only who threw strikes and fielded the circle like an Ali punch. There is no I in team been done twice in the history of Utah like she owned it. She also played first and both our baseball and softball teams high school sports. Only Alta in 5A and base and could hit as well. were built on altitude and teamwork. Oh, Juan Diego in 2A have accomplished the Just as good: My picks here go to and by the way they were led to victory same thing. Whitney Holm and Rhett Nielsen. by two of the all-time greatest coaches E-veryone wants to know who the Nielsen hit .600 for the tournament and in the high school ranks. most valuable player is. The question always seemed to deliver in the clutch. Now that our hometown squads have is harder to answer'than it sounds. Jace He also made numerous big time plays proven they are the best teams in the 5A Brinkerhoff and Susan Cole claimed the in the pasture. ranks, it's time to take a minute and find hardware but both had stellar supporting Holm can pitch, hit and field. Oh, out what made them tick. How was this casts. Brinkerhoff went 12-19 at state the future looks bright with the slugger phenomenal team chemistry generated for a .631 average. He had a home run, leading the charge. Her power is uncanny. and can it be duplicated? double and seven RBI. Throw in his No one hits it harder and no one plays Throw out the hitting, pitching and mound heroics and you have the best of with her level of intensity. You go girl. coaching and I would say one of the the best. All-Around Honorable Mention: main reasons for their success was the Seth Spainhower, Cory Grover, Aaron On the other diamond the award went th 10 man. Not the one on the bench but Binks and Brock Duke. This group is a to Susan Cole. She simply dominated the rather the one in the stands. No other quartet of solid guys who are a class act. best pitching this state has to offer. Her team had'more support than our teams. numbers, at the Valley Complex were I just like being around young men of For example, a valiant effort was nothing short of spectacular. She opened this caliber. It doesn't hurt that they can turned in by a few fans to find an airline with a 4-4 day against Viewmont. Her play too. ticket to present to Shoe following the total included a home run, three RBI Ashley Chappie, Lorin Thurgood, championship game. The ticket would and two runs scored. In the first T-Wolve have allowed him to watch his son, meeting she slammed a three-run home Tina Ferguson, Ginny Stahle, Katelyn Casey play his final game for BYU at run off the best pitcher in the state. She Elliot and captain Jess Anderson. I know the Mountain West baseball tournament did the same thing when she faced her I listed the whole team but what do you in Las Vegas. The only ticket they found again on Thursday. In three games, expect. Every one of them contributed was for a Leer jet with a price tag of check it out, 8-10 with seven RBI while in their^bSvh wayfoget the Dons to the $5,000. Shoe is good but not that good. crossing the dish five times. p But the point is that they tried. As I stood on the field and basked in Runners Up: For the boy's my ballot the feeling of both state titles, I realized . At the Valley complex, no school had near the support of the red and gray. goes to Kacey Carling. The senior that it is not about any one player. I knew shortstop was always on base. He went it was about a team that put teamwork to Even the Salt Lake Schools, who live and die with every softball game, were 10-15 for an average of .666 and he the test. I knew it was about a community recorded an on base percentage at .761. vastly outnumbered. I think everyone who supported them and I knew these Did I mention his glove was great? He went just to see the crusty old Don cry. teams won with class. I was proud to I hear Riple'y's is investigating the fact flashed the leather like a saddle maker. be part of a winning tradition but more In softball, write down Whitney importantly I was elated to be a Don in to make sure it is documented and not Robinson. It is a pitcher's sport and Title Town. just a hoax. MJMsfoHork, Brinkerhoff twirls gem to lead Dons over Jordan, 9-2 Lane Henderson Onadayofcommencement, the Spanish Fork Dons rode the strong right arm of senior Jace Brinkerhoff to a new beginning. The seasoned star shone brightly as he walked from the graduating stage earlier in the day; to the spotlight at night. The highly efficient hurler led the Dons to an impressive if not spectacular 9-2 victory over the Jordan Beetdiggers in the 5A championship bracket. "What can you say about Jace? Whatever you said it simply wouldn't be enough," said Coach Shoe. He threw one of his best games against a very potent lineup." Brinkerhoff picked up the complete game victory. He went the distance, allowing a mere six hits and three walks. He was only one pitch away from the shutout as he surrendered a two-out two- lines. run triple in the seventh. The Dons drew first blood "I only kept him in the. with a single run in the first. game out of respect for Carling opened with a walk Jordan, because I knew they and moved to second on were capable of breaking out BrinkerhofTs wicked line at anytime," added Nelson. drive single. Aaron Binks Meanwhile, at the plate then did what he needed the Dons executed their own to do with a well executed version of small ball. Timely sacrifice bunt. Smith walked and well executed bunts kept to fill the sacks setting up the pressure on the northern Rhett Nielsen. Nielsen took invaders. "Our short game a mighty rip and launched a hurt them at times," said six foot swinging bunt that Nelson. brought Carling home. . Jordan's lead-off hitter Spanish Fork doubled the went deep on his first plate lead in the third. Smith laced appearance but a leaping a one-out double that found Jordan Smith went off the a hole. Spainhower then wall to take away extra bases. stroked a bullet that went off His stellar defensive effort set the pitchers hand as well as the tone for the entire game. second base to score Smith. Spanish Fork played flawless With Brinkerhoff rolling in the field. Seth Spainhower, on the hill, the Dons added and Kasey Carling were solid two more runs in the fourth. up the middle and Colby Bird The Dons capitalized on a pulled a couple of low throws bases loaded no-out situation. out of the dirt at first. Overall, One run scored on Binks* defense ruled between the fielder's choice and another on Cory Grover's sacrifice fly. When the smoke cleared, Spanish Fork led 4-0. The Dons sealed the deal in the sixth. A tired Beetdigger defense yielded five runs as the Dons hit around sending 10 men to the' plate. Carling manufactured the first run with a double. He later scored the fifth run after" two wild pitches allowed him home. Brinkerhoff, Grover and Smith all got aboard to fill the sacks. Nielsen, who had the RBI single in the first, ripped this one down the line for a triple. His blast cleared the bases and gave him a game high four RBI night. Pinch hitter Eric Whiting added to the assault with an RBI single down the right field line. On the night, Spanish Fork had a total of eight hits but managed to score nine runs as they flirted with the ten-run rule. ROBERT NELSON |