The Cowboys had a tremendous 2022 state tournament over the weekend, continuing from the two wins the week before. After beating North Summit 8-1, and the Duschesne Eagles 14-0, they faced off against the #1 team in the state, the South Sevier Rams on May 12. In a back-and-forth battle, the Cowboys came out strong, scoring first on a first pitch hit by Waylon White, which knocked in a run. The Cowboys extended the lead in the fifth, leading 8-2 by a tremendous pitching effort by Griffen Bone. With two innings to go, the Cowboys looked prime to advance, but the Rams bats were a little too much. The Rams faced off against the Cowboys’ relievers, Ryan East, Maddix Baird and Kale Glover, and were able to salvage nine runs in the sixth inning to take an 11-8 lead. The Cowboys battled in the seventh inning and managed two more runs to make it 11-10, but couldn’t find the last run needed, and fell to the #1 team 11-10 after a well-managed, high scoring game. RJ Mognett continued with his bat on fire, tallying a home run in the second inning, with Lane Sims and White collecting three hits on the night. Bone led the pitching attack with five strikeouts, allowing six runs on 11 hits.
The Cowboys then faced off against the Beaver Beavers in the consolation bracket with senior Bracken McQuivey pitching the complete seveninning game allowing only two runs on eight hits and striking out six. The Cowboys prevailed 4-2, which kept them swinging for a chance to make it to the state championship in the double elimination tournament.
The Cowboys faced off against the Enterprise Wolves for a chance to meet the Parowan Rams in the semi-finals. The winner of that game would then face off against the South Sevier Rams in the championship.
Kanab and Enterprise pitchers had their hands full this game with multiple runners on bases for most innings. Both teams managed 11 hits apiece. Mace Terry led the pitching attack for the Cowboys, lasting five and a third innings, allowing nine hits and four runs, and striking out three. The scoring attack was led by a rowdy squad of Sims, White, Jaxon Riddle, Baird and Mognett who each collected two hits on the night on their way to victory 9-6, keeping the Cowboys state championship hopes alive.
The Cowboys moved onto the semi-finals to face Parowan who lost to South Sevier the game before, with the winner moving on to face the #1 team again in the championship. The Cowboys started freshman Logan Veater, with freshman Kash Kabonic and sophomores East and Brody Perkins also providing relief. The Cowboys got down early 6-0, but they answered in the second inning, scoring five runs of their own to keep the game competitive. Riddle, Mognett and Bone powered big RBI’s in the inning. The teams battled to an 8-8 tie until the last inning, when Parowan broke the lead late, scoring three runs. The Cowboys loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out, with a chance to keep the game going, but after a pop out, and a strike out, the Cowboys left the ducks on the pond, and fell 11-8 to the Rams, ending their 2022 season.
Great job Cowboys on a fantastic season with a young crew, that looks to be promising over the next few years. A big congrats goes out to Coach Mason Fox on his last season coaching the Cowboys.
