The Wayne dynasty is impressive
None has been more impressive than Wayne High's baseball program, and not just for what it accomplished on the field.
The Badgers, who won their 51st consecutive baseball game and third straight 1A championship when they beat Panguitch 17-4 on Saturday, stayed humble and sportsmanlike throughout their remarkable run.
In the times I saw the Badgers play during the last three seasons, I never saw a Wayne player disrespect an opponent or the game. I didn't see any of the Badgers pounding their chests or committing any other ridiculous acts to bring attention to themselves. When they won the first of their three state titles in 2006, the Badgers made sure to congratulate the ICS players in the Lions' dugout before celebrating their championship.
The Badgers and coach Scott Ellett won with class. They earned the respect of their peers not just for being the best team in the classification, but for how they went about their business.
"People usually pull for the underdogs," Ellett said. "They want to see the top team get beat. It was surprising to me to see so many people wish us well."
It's nothing short of amazing that there were hardly any hard feelings among Wayne's peers in 1A baseball because the Badgers have dominated the classification. Seniors Carson Bray, Jordan Ellett, Lance Peterson, Tyce Peterson, Trevor Taylor, Marcus Manzanares and Colin Anderson have a total of 15 all-state awards and an MVP among them. They'll add to that total when our all-state team comes out. I'm sure they're more proud that they won 94 percent of their varsity baseball games in high school.
Lance Peterson, Tyce Peterson and Jordan Ellett also added to their trophy cases this fall with academic all-state awards.
I want to congratulate the Badgers for their success on the field, and for the way they won. There are other programs in the state that could use your tutoring in how you handled your success.
I had an enjoyable time while spending a day watching the 1A quarterfinals with the classification's passionate fan base in Spanish Fork last week. Here are a couple of other things that I thought were pretty cool about 1A baseball:
• Green River sophomore Sarah Swalberg stood out for the Pirates, and not just because she's a female. She was one of Green River's top players, hitting in the No. 2 spot for her team. I told her she reminded me of Uintah wrestler Candace Workman in that she's not just competing against the boys, she's excelling against them.
"I love it," Swalberg said. "I've always played everything with the guys. I say if a girl wants to play — play. More power to her if she does."
• Something Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said earlier this season has stuck with me. Before his Utes played Utah State he talked about the rebuilding job coach Brent Guy is facing. He called it a "tough, tough undertaking."
A lot of the experts who sit in the bleachers during high school sporting events think you can wave a magic wand and put together a dynasty like Wayne's.
It's extremely difficult to turn a struggling program around, and that's why it was good to see Valley's performance this season. The Buffaloes won a total of one game in 2006 and 2007 before rebounding to advance to the state semifinals. Valley, led by ace pitcher Paul Kesling, showed that turnarounds are possible when the coach is left alone to coach and the players come together and make plays.
E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com