Region reports on baseball

After our Utah County prep editor, Jim Rayburn, posted his thoughts on Region 4 baseball, all the comments talked about were, ‘What about the other regions?’. Well, just so you know your comments are read and appreciated (at least most of the time), here are some other region reports. I will break down the three other 5A classifications. Again, I welcome our readers’ thoughts because as hard as I try to see as many games and different teams play, I can only be one place at a time.

Region 1
Northridge may have been a surprise early, but the Knights have proved they are for real. At 8-0 they are in control of their own destiny. They should be undefeated after this week with a series against young Syracuse, so the two remaining series with Layton and Viewmont will be huge. They are led by a bunch of seniors, several of which are three-year starters. Geoff Vernon has been impressive, but he has certainly not been alone. Gavin Farr, Kyle Harris, Dustin Christensen, Breck Snyder and Austin Esplin have been names that keep popping up as having big-time contributions.
Viewmont has won this region four straight years, and still have the talent and ability to do it again, but it will probably come down to the last series with Northridge. The Vikings have Div. I recruit Chris Larsen (I heard he doesn’t really like the nickname of Biss, but it could have just been a rumor), and Kyle Bilbrey and Max Matina have been great on the mound. Other names to remember are Alex Exon, Jeff Rawlings and Vance Green.
Layton and Fremont still have an outside shot at winning the title, but will need help.
My predictions are that Northridge and Viewmont will end up tying for the title at 12-2 with Layton and Fremont grabbing the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds and Weber squeezing in to the last playoff spot. Davis, Clearfield and Syracuse would need some serious help to qualify.

Region 2
Not many would have predicted Alta’s jump to the top of this region. The Hawks are still a young team. Talented, but young. The chemistry has been just right, however and a nice mix of senior leadership combined with young talent has produced positive results. Justin Campbell is a bona fide ace, and when Colton Call and Tyson Knowles throw well for the three-game series this region plays, the Hawks are the team to beat. Parker Webster, Kavin Keyes, Jefferson Court, Sam Teahan and Mike Henderson have all been big contributors.
Taylorsville has had its ups and downs, but don’t count out the Warriors in the region race. A three-game sweep of Skyline has them only a game back of Alta, and the two teams still have a three-game series next week. First, they must beat a slumping Jordan team in three games in a rematch of last year’s title game. Preston Olson is a beast on the bump, and if Will Draper and J.J. Santisteven can throw like they did last week, the team can be dangerous. Zane Pulver, Jeff Pratt, Austin Maddy and Tim Lesuma keep making plays as well.
With this region only qualifying three teams this season, the race for the third playoff spot is going to be fun to watch. Jordan was probably the team that most expected to grab this spot even with all of the ‘Diggers seniors gone from last season, but after Brighton took two of three last week, Jordan has an uphill climb at only 1-5 in region and facing Taylorsville this week. After ace Tyson Labrum, the team just hasn’t had a lot of quality starts from its pitchers.
Skyline and Brighton are battling at 3-3, and it could come down to next week’s big series against each other. Hillcrest is going to have to start planning on next season because at 0-6, it just ain’t going to happen this year.

Region 3
This region has the three haves, and the three have-nots. Riverton, Bingham and Copper Hills are almost assuredly going to qualify for the playoffs, while only one of the bottom three of Kearns, West Jordan and Hunter is going to make it.
Riverton is leading the way and is undefeated at 6-0. The Silverwolves should move to 9-0 with a three-game series with struggling Hunter setting up an exciting final two weeks with three-game series against Copper Hills and a media man’s dream finishing out with their rivals from Bingham. I have tried to see this team twice this season, and both times the weather got the win, so going off what I have heard, Connor Woodward, Nate Slaymaker, Scott Shipley, Ian Snell, Alex Newman, Tanner Banks and Devin Deweerdt have all had their moments in the team’s success.
People were counting out Bingham prematurely. The Miners had a very rough trip to Arizona going 0-4, but since that time, they have been playing good baseball. At 5-1, they are right there for yet another region title. Brock Whitney, Nate Rasmussen, Cory Raymond and Parker Jenkins are the big guns for the team. This week’s series with Copper Hills is a big one.
Copper Hills has been an up and down team this season. But the Grizzlies have moved to the top pack in the region race with series wins over Kearns and Hunter. David Allen, Jake Lisonbee, Tim Holmes, Aaron Vanliere, Jake Stoddard and Mike Kelly have all stood out so far.
I expect that West Jordan will emerge from the bottom three teams and make the playoffs. The Jaguars did take a game from Bingham in their series with the Miners, and then faced Riverton in three. I think this team is better than its 1-5 region record and will show that over the next couple of weeks. It could even challenge for a No. 3 seed instead of the four if things go right.
I just don’t think Kearns or Hunter have what it takes to make it to the playoffs this season.

There you have it. My thoughts and feelings on the 5A region races outside of Utah County. Feel free to chime in.