Bucks close prep baseball season

SPORTS SHORTS
by Scott Boyle
The Buckaroos baseball season came to an end Saturday in Manti as the boys lost two straight to exit the 2A Baseball Tournament. 
The tournament started well for the Buckaroos when they scored two runs in the top half of the first inning against the Millard Eagles, only to have Millard answer right back with two runs of their own in their half of the inning. 
Thereafter, Millard’s ace, Skyler Cranney shut down the Buckaroo bats, allowing only six hits and one more run in the fourth inning to get the 10-3 win over the Bucks. 
Of the six hits, three were doubles by Easton Nielson, Hunter Bowring and Makade Maloy. 
The Eagles countered that with three doubles of their own and three home runs, sending the Bucks to the consolation round.
In what proved to be the final game for the season, the Bucks were matched up against the South Sevier Rams, a team the Buckaroos defeated twice way back in March, 16-14 and 7-5 in Monroe. 
The Bucks entered the contest with confidence, but even though the game was close, they just couldn’t get the bats going and fell to the Rams, 7-4, ending the season and the high school careers of many of the players. 
This is a group of ball players that have been together since third grade, playing hundreds of games and winning not a few state championships, three to be exact, along with two runnerup finishes and a fourth place finish. 
These same kids now have played varsity ball for four years, too.  Four years ago, Bowring had one senior and eight freshmen and this year, started eight seniors most games. 
Reminisced Bowring, “A great group of kids.  We had a lot of fun with them.  They will be great assets to whichever community is lucky enough to get them. 
“I had every coach at the tourney compliment them on how classy they are.  Shows we have great parents.  I will truly miss them.” 
Sportshorts must add, these comments from other coaches were echoed everywhere the Buckaroos, boys and girls, went for sporting events this entire school year, in football, basketball, volleyball, cross-country, track, drill team, and wrestling. 
They represented the community and the school in exemplary ways.  Thanks kids, and good luck where ever the future takes you.
Golf
The Buckaroo golf team hosted the Region 19 golf tournament at the Hideout on Monday, after the press deadline.  The Buckaroos head into the region meet with the number one golfer in the region, Tanner Eardley, leading the way.  Eardley has a 74 average for the season to lead second place by a whopping ten strokes. 
His best round of the year is a 67 at Adobe Creek Golf Course in Fruita, CO.  According to golf coach Nathan Chamberlain, “Tanner hit the ball extremely well. We played a shorter course that was wide open and he could go for greens easily. He had one eagle and quite a few birdies.” 
Jens Brewer, a junior golfer for the Bucks, is ranked number three in the region.  His best round of the year is also at Fruita.  Said Chamberlain,  “Jens played well but his putting kept him out of the 70’s.”  
Bryson Chamberlain is third on the Buckaroo team and seventh in region.  “Bryson shot his personal best with a 90.”
Said Chamberlain. “The weather stayed warm and the winds were not a factor. The kids were finally comfortable and played with their competitors and teammates.” 
Ben Stonebrink comes into region ranked number nine while Tanner Holt is 12th. 
It will be a dogfight for the region championship with Green River. They have the number two, fourth, fifth, sixth and eight ranked golfers along for their team ride.  Pinnacle also fields a golf team, but they don’t look to be a factor in the team event. 
Monticello should have the advantage, though, playing on their home course, the Hideout.
Track and Field
With Max Morley leading the way in an outstanding sprinting performance, the San Juan High School boys track team nearly won the prestigious BYU Invitational last weekend in Provo. 
Morley placed second in two events, the 400 and 200 and was fourth in the 100, in the annual 29-team meet, but Grand County High School squeaked out first place in the 1A-2A section of the gigantic meet with 68 points. 
Kanab just snuck by the Broncos too, scoring 66 to San Juan’s 65.5.   Brittain Bowring was third in both the high jump and long jump to give the Broncos a bunch of points while Brayden Giddings was fourth in shot put and sixth in discus.   
Mike Monson was fifth in shot put, Brendan Pugh, seventh in 110 hurdles, and Christian Sherrow eighth in the 800 to round out the Bronco individual scorers. 
Three Bronco relay teams also placed, led by the medley relay team of Nathan Nielson, Payton Palmer, Isaiah Warren,  and Sherrow, which took first.  The 4 x 400 team of Javen Ivins, Sterling Black, Sherrow and Warren were fourth and Hunter Latham, Palmer, Bowring, and Nielson were fifth in the 4 x 100.
Monticello boys were 18th as a team.  Easton Nielson had the highest Buckaroo finish with a fourth place medal in the 3200.  Brian Tanner was fifth in high jump and Austin Wilcox was sixth in shot put to round out the Buckaroo boys scoring.
Both the Bronco and Buckaroo girls teams each had one person place at the Invite.  Sara Morley was third in shot put for San Juan and Buckaroo Makayla Leiataua was sixth in the discus as the Lady Broncos were 26th and the Buckaroos were 30th out of 32 teams.