ST. GEORGE — Two-time 4A state champion Crimson Cliffs was well represented when the All-Region 10 baseball team was announced Tuesday.
Coaches named first and second All-Region 10 squads along with an honorable mention category.
“Up and down, from first team to second team to honorable mention, no doubt this is one of the best teams in the state,” Crimson Cliffs manager Justin Abbott told St. George News.
He added that while he only got to see some of the selections in the two region games they played against Crimson, even then, it was easy to see the high quality ball players in Region 10.
“Some of those guys got some votes here and some votes there, but the two times I saw them they were definitely first-teamers,” Abbott said. “We have some good talent in the region. We always have.”
Crimson Cliffs, which defeated Snow Canyon to capture the 4A state title in each of the past two consecutive seasons, placed seven different Mustangs on the all-region team including Most Valuable Player Petey Soto.
“I think with Petey, on a daily basis when a guy plays 30 games for you, it’s hard to deny that kid and the year that he had,” Abbott said about the Mustangs star shortstop, who will be playing at Bruce Hurst Field next year with Utah Tech University.
Soto batted .500 for much of the season, finishing with a .467 average, 43 hits and 29 RBI (according to Maxpreps). Soto smacked three hits in the state title-clinching game.
“Petey did it every single day we had a game, he earned it,” Abbott said. “It was so fun to watch him. He made a difference wherever he was.”
Crimson outscored Snow Canyon 22-2 in two games to keep the championship trophy in Washington Fields for another year.
Pitchers Jaiven Ross and Beau Sampson, both senior left-handers, were named to the All-Region 10 first team, as was fellow Crimson Cliffs senior catcher/first baseman Brexten Starley.
Senior outfielder Jayger Baldwin and another Mustangs hurler, Aaron Morris, were named to the All-Region 10 second team.
All three of Crimson’s dominating starting pitchers, Ross, Sampson and Morris, deserved consideration for MVP, according to Abbott.
“With the years that Jaiven and Beau had, they were in the discussion,” Abbott said. “We hoped Aaron would have been a consensus first-teamer, he had the best ERA in the state.”
Completing the Mustangs contingent of All-Region 10 performers were Ty Maynard and Tyler West, who both were awarded honorable mention.
Snow Canyon’s baseball team won state three years ago, then finished runner-up to Crimson Cliffs for the next two 4A championships.
This year’s Warriors won three thrilling comeback victories–one of them a walk-off–to set up the championship series against Crimson Cliffs at the state tournament in Orem, where the Mustangs’ depth just took over.
Snow Canyon placed four players on the All-Region 10 first team: Makaio Swenson, Ryder Harrison, Crew Secrist and Hayden Smith.
Outfielder Sam Lindsey was selected to the second team and Snow Canyon pitcher Kyson Goates earned honorable mention.
Dixie had two Flyers named to the first team in pitcher Cayson Bell and shortstop Boston Vest.
Braxton Yates represented Dixie on the second team while teammates Max Orton and Blake Watson collected honorable mention for the Flyers.
Four players from Desert Hills earned second team recognition in senior pitcher Landon Musgrave, Kyler Terry, Haigen Reed and Jace Fillmore.
Pine View placed Nash Schroder on the second team and Andrew Shakespear earned honorable mention for the Panthers.
Hurricane’s Sam Johanson and Grant Scholzen earned honorable mention, as did Cedar’s Crew Giles and Quiad Mackert.
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