Former Bronco continues to shine on the mound at Weber State University

SPORTS SHORTS
by Scott Boyle
Former San Juan High sports star Tatiana Su’esu’e continues to shine in the sports department. 
Su’esu’e signed with Weber State out of high school to play softball for the Wildcats and is helping the WSU softball team to new heights.
Just this past weekend, Su’esu’e pitched the Lady Wildcats to a 2-0 win over Utah State University in the semifinals of their regional meet of the National Invitational Softball Championships (NISC), striking out four batters and giving up only three hits. 
The win sent the undefeated Wildcats to the finals against Boise State, which they won 8-0, to win the regional and qualify for the finals of the NISC, their first trip ever to the finals of the tournament. 
Fifth seeded Weber State drew fourth seeded Liberty University in the first round of the six-team, double elimination tournament being held in Lynchburg, VA, hometown of Liberty U.  And the Wildcats won their first game 3-2, next facing the number one seed, Kennesaw.
Su’esu’e is just now completing her sophomore year at Weber State.  As a freshman, the 5' 7" right-hander compiled a 6-1 record, appearing in 16 games with three starts.  She had an ERA of 3.23 in 39 innings and struck out 17 batters. 
This season, she has gone 18-7 in 26 starts, throwing 152 innings and an ERA of 3.60 as the second starter for the Wildcats, who are currently 37-20-1 on the season.
Anatomy of a team title
The Monticello boy’s track team claimed third place in this year’s 1A state track tournament held at BYU last weekend. 
In 2016, when the Bucks won their only boys 1A track championship, they were powered by one individual title, six runner-up finishes, plus placers in five other events, including all three relay races, one of which they won, the sprint medley. They also grabbed two places in three different events, shot put, discus, and the 1600.
This year, in contrast, the Bucks had four individual titles (could have been five with the 1600 disqualification) but only one other individual place. They were able to place in only two of the three relays, leaving them in third and had zero multiple place events.
Compare that to the 2017 team champ, Panguitch, who dominated on their way to the 2017 title, even though they won less individual events than the Bucks (three), plus a relay. 
The Bobcats won with shear numbers of athletes.  While the Buckaroos placed in only seven of the 16 events, the Bobcats placed in 13 of 16. 
Most significantly, Panguitch had five events where more than one Bobcat placed and scored for the team. 
In the discus throw, the Bobcats had an astounding four athletes earn medals while placing three athletes in three other events, the 110 hurdles, the 3200 and 300 hurdles and two more in the shot put.
The only events the Bobcats didn’t score in are the 100, long jump and medley relay.  The key to winning team championships?  It’s in the numbers, folks.
The Road to Understanding
If you’ve been watching KSL-TV news lately, you probably know about their new series they call, “The Road to Understanding”. 
In the interesting series of stories, KSL has traveled throughout the state of Utah delivering features about each part of the state, including San Juan County at least three times, a sort of “listening tour,” they call it, “hoping to better understand our neighbors and their concerns and celebrations, whether rural or urban.” 
Just last week, in fact, KSL did a nice story about the bowling alley in Blanding that is uniquely housed in the Canyon Country convenience store. 
The story was positive about the bowling alley and the opportunities associated with it, but KSL prefaced the story by saying “there are a lot of positive things happening [in San Juan County] if you know where to look.”
Then the story begins like this, “It seems easy to get bored in Blanding. The same-ole, same-ole every single day in this small San Juan County town.” 
Positive?  Understanding? Sounds like the same-ole, same-ole Road to MIS-understanding we continue to get from unimaginative people every day. 
If SportShorts had a nickel for every time someone said, “Man, what’s there to do down here?” this article would be called SportsLongpants.  
Please try a little harder to understand, KSL.  We know where to look.