TOP 10 BREAKDOWN

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• 1. Dixie ~ 21-2 / 9-1

The Flyers reeled off a 4-0 record to win the Red Rock Classic as the host school in late March. The Flyers are now riding a 17 game winning streak and the blessing that any Region 9 school has, is when you have 3 reliable starters, and only play 2 league games a week vs the 3 games a week that northern Utah schools do, it provides a weapon out of the pen in close games, or was the case in week 3, when Coach Danny Ipson decided with his 1st two starters to go in a piggy back situation in game one Tuesday’s. Then they threw their 3rd starter Logan Leavitt in game two. The Flyers are much like Snow Canyon and Mountain Ridge in next level talent, with C-Ridge Erickson (BYU) the top defensive catcher in the state in the last 8 years. SS-Boston Vest (New Mexico State), 3B-Logan Leavitt (Glendale CC), 1B/RHP-Cooper Bartholomew (CSI), LHP-Braxton Yates (CSI).

This past week, the Flyers took down the two-time defending 4A state champion Crimson Cliff Mustangs by scores of 8-2 and 5-3 respectively. In Game one, the Flyers were led by SS-Boston Vest with his 3-3 night, 3 doubles and 4 RBI’s, while Junior UTL-Carter Turley was 2-4 with a HR to the left of the batter's eye and 2 RBI. Not to be outdone, senior C-Ridge Erickson was 2-4 with 3 runs out of the lead off spot. Logan Leavitt and Braxton Yates piggy backed on the 2 and 5 inn stints to scatter 7 hits, walk 2 and strike out 9 batters. In Game 2 Boston Vest led the charge once again with a 2 hit performance with a double and triple, while Yates also turned in a 2 hit game of his own. Junior RHP-Jake Andreas had his best performance of the season, as he turned in 6 spectacular inns of three hit ball, while not walking a batter, as he struck out 12 Mustang hitters. 

• 2. Snow Canyon ~ 18-3 / 10-0

Lead Region 9 by one full game over #1 ranked Dixie  and both teams could technically be ranked 1a and 1b. The two powerhouses finish the season with a head-head collision in the last week of play. The Warriors are loaded with next level talent with RHP-Talan Kelly (Utah Tech) and touched 94 vs Lone Peak. SS-Crew Secrist (CSI), transfer RHP-Darius Henderson who at some point will make his debut up to 94, while nursing tenderness in his right arm. RHP/OF-Makaio Swensen (Salt Lake CC) hitting .491 with a 88-91 mph FB. OF-Ryder Harrison (Salt Lake CC), RHP-Jackson Kirby (Glendale CC), RHP-Kyson Goates (Lassen CC) and RHP-Andrew Lyon and his mid to upper 80’s FB.

One of the top 3 deepest pitching staffs in the state, showed up big time this past week against Power 25 team Desert Hills with two one run victories of 3-2 and 4-3. In game one, Kyson Goates went 5.1 strong innings on the mud and SS-Crew Secrist turned in a 2 hit game for the Warriors, but game two was a barn burner as D-Hills out hit the Warriors 10 to 7, but Snow Canyon’s pitching did the trick with an early 3-0 deficit after 3 innings to shut down the Thunder the rest of the way, to give the pitching depth of the Warriors a chance to climb back and take the lead on the bottom of the 5th and hold on for the win. Junior Andrew Lyon didn’t have his best stuff after punching out 11 in his previous start to earn player of the week honors, but RHP-Makaio Swensen came on for the best four innings of shutout baseball, scattering 4 hits, with NO walks and 4 strikeouts. RHP-Talan Kelly who closed out the game on Tuesday, did so once again on Friday and preserved the win by pitching the final inning, giving up a hit and a walk with the tying and go ahead runs on base, and struck out two batters and securing the game with a game ending called strike 3, to keep the Warriors a perfect 10-0 in Region 9 play, and also a 10 game winning streak of their own in play, with next week's showdown for the Region 9 crown on the line vs 9-1 and #1 ranked Dixie. Both teams have combined to win 25 in a row!

• 3. Maple Mountain ~ 14-2 / 5-0

In the Golden Eagles two games of the week, they defeated Cedar Valley scores of 3-0 and 7-3. In game one, junior catcher AJ Thomas and soph 1B/3B-Cy Chrisman led the way with two hits apiece, with Chrisman supplying a double and two RBI’s. Junior LHP-Chase Johnston and senior RHP-Bennett Averett combined on the one hit shutout, with Johnston working 6.2 flawless innings of one hit scoreless work, walking three and striking out 12 Aviator hitters! Bennett came on to get the final out and strike out the only batter he faced to secure the 3-0 win. In game two, Thomas provided an RBI double and sac fly, while Johnston had two hits and Chrisman three hits with one being a double. 

• 4. Brighton ~ 14-2 / 12-0

Jumps from #10 to 6 this week. In game one of the three game series sweep of Highland, junior OF-Easton Fry led the way with two hits, with each resulting in a double and triple. Junior RHP-Miles Layton, who fashioned a perfect game a couple of weeks ago, threw 4 scoreless innings with 2 BB and 8 strikeouts! In game 2 junior RHP-Case Beames at the plate, along with junior SS-Jack Saba, junior C-Cody Smith and junior 3B-Riley Brown all had big games with Beames, Smith, Brown and OF-Easton Fry all powering HR’s to help the Bengals to the 19-0 shutout. On the mound, junior Josh Mawhinney threw 4 scoreless innings. In game 3, SS-Jack Saba, Miles Layton and senior Braxton Biesinger all had multiple hits with Biesinger contributing a 3B, Layton a double and triple, while Saba had a big game with 5 RBI’s and big HR! On the mound, Beames went 5 strong innings of 2 hit baseball, while walking one one batter and struck out 9. 

• 5. Provo ~ 16-5 / 6-3

The Bulldogs took on perennial powerhouse Desert Hills in Provo, and knocked off the Thunder in the upset of week six. In two narrowly contested games, the Bulldogs secured both wins by scores of 4-2 and 5-4 to jump all the way from #15 in the Power 25 to #8 and now at #5. It’s the Bulldogs highest ranking in our 4th year of polling. (Took two out of three from Mountain View)

• 6. Orem ~ 13-4 / 4-2

The Tigers are a tough team to measure unless seeing them in person as I have a couple of times, as they don’t display their stats on any app or platform. They have been led by 3B/OF-Merrick Bostock who two weeks ago hit for the cycle and hasn’t stopped hitting. Last week's pitcher of the week, senior Easton Davies, RHP (Arizona State) punched out 13 over 6 innings. BYU commit Owen Miller, RHP/1B has been a mainstay on the mound and a driving force at the plate with numerous multi-hit games with power production. The Tigers secured 3 blowout wins vs Timpview by scores of 15-4 and 12-2 and then captured their 3rd win of the week with a blowout of 10-1 vs Wasatch in week 6. This past week, the Tigers defeated Wasatch, but lost twice to Springville, as they ran into the buzz saw named Easton Barrett in front of over 15 MLB scouts in a highly anticipated match-up between Barrett and Davies, the former Future Game West Coast ProCase and Area Code alums, who both sit in the low 90’s and are both headed to Arizona State. 2B-Zach Engemann provided a 3 hit game with a double and triple in Monday’s affair, with another 3 hit game in Thursday’s match up, with a double and big HR. 

• 7. Bear River ~ 16-6 / 9-3

The talent is there with 3 next level talents. Jr RHP-Holden Potter is a upper 80’s touching 90 mph arm with a solid breaking ball and is taking phone calls from area top JC’s. Also Sr RHP-Degan Rigby a CSI recruit is another upper 80’s physical arm, as well as power hitting 1B and Salt Lake CC recruit, Gehrig Marble is hitting .542 with 7 extra base hits in the first 13 games. Two weeks back, the Bears lived up to last weeks prediction as they move into the top 10, after wins against 6A Westlake 12-1, a 4-3 defeat of 5A Woods Cross and last weeks #10 Grantsville. In week 5, the Bears were stunned by an upstart Ridgeline two out of three, as they dropped the first two games of the series by scores of 3-0 and 9-5, before heading back home to avoid the sweep by taking game 3 by a score of 14-7 with Potter on the mound and didn’t have his best stuff, but pitched well enough and got his bat going with a 3 hit day, a HR and 2 RBI’s. Degan Rigby had a 3 hit day with 4 RBI and 2 2B’s to power the Bear offense.

In week six, the Bears took all three games vs Sky View, allowing only 2 runs over the 3 game series and scoring 25 of their own. Tuesday’s affair saw RHP/SS-Holden Potter and 1B-Gehrig Marble contributing a double and triple respectively. On the mound, senior Degan Rigby went all 7 innings, allowing only 5 hits, while walking one one batter and striking out 10! In game 3 on Friday, Potter had 3 hits from the box and on the mound, went 6 strong innings, allowing only one hit, no walks and 8 strikeouts. 1B-Marble and Potter each notched a double, with 1B-Gehrig Marble and Potter both contributing 3 hits a piece. The three game sweep finished propelled the Bears into this week's final three regular season and region games in the schedule, as they play host in 2 of the 3 games against semi-local Logan HS. 

• 8. Grantsville ~ 17-1 / 8-0

(6 of their 11 wins vs 4A/5A teams) The Cowboys are led by senior RHP-Kyle Brimhall. The 6-3 righty and his mid to upper 80’s FB has led to a 3-1 record with 53 K’s in 31 IP. At the plate Brimhall is hitting .400 with a state tying 7 HR’s and 26 RBI. In week 3 vs Morgan, Brimhall went 5 innings, allowing just one run and struck out 10! In week four the Cowboys dropped their first game of the season to Bear River by a score of 8-0 after sweeping Ben Lomond 19-0 and 21-3. The Cowboys ran into a buzz saw with hard throwing RHP prospect Holden Potter and his upper 80, low 90’s FB as he threw a CG 7 inn SHO with only one hit and that was the only runner with 10 K outs. In Week 5 the Cowboys put up 20 runs by scores of 10-0 and 10-7 over hapless Ogden. This past week the Cowboys took 2 from South Summit 5-1 and 21-6. Brimhall punched out 5 of the 8 batters he faced over 2 scoreless innings. In game two, 4 Cowboys collected multiple hit games with Brimhall again collecting 4 RBI and a HR for good measure. 

• 9. Juab ~ 16-5 / 10-1

A slow start to their season, unlike a year ago when the Wasps came out of the blocks on fire with a 7-1 record vs 4A-6A competition and eventually steamrolling to the 3A state title, the Wasps have hit their stride now with state leading Player of the Year candidate SS/RHP-Austin Park leading the way, the Wasps have a player who virtually counts as two players in one and at this point, he’s making a case to either go both ways at the D1 level or maybe taking his right arm and mimicking what future Big Leaguer and former Desert Hill’s star Drew Thorpe did just 5 years ago and that’s make a case that he could factor either way at BYU. Park threw two straight NO-Hitters in back to back weeks and missed a 3rd straight with a one hit shutout, giving him a nomination for the state in the national player of the week honors. The lanky SS/RHP and his 90 mph FB, has thrown 32.1 innings with only 14 hits and 5 runs allowed to go along with a gaudy 3 BB’s and 56 K outs! At the plate, Park is hitting .582 with 15 extra base hits and a state leading 42 RBI’s. Park is ahead of state runner up leader Haigen Reed from Desert Hills at 37, who also is one of Park’s closest competitors for state MVP honors. Not to be outdone, but the Wasps have as good a 3 man rotation as any in the state, with junior Connor Cowan who in his 24 innings pitched has walked only 8 and is averaging nearly 2 K outs an inning with 44. Senior RHP-Kanyon Matinson also is putting up big numbers on the mound with 34.2 innings pitched, 23 BB’s and 62 K outs himself! 

• 10. Timpanogos ~ 16-6 / 9-0

The Timberwolves jump back into the Power 25 riding a 9 game winning streak since leaving St. Grove and their last loss vs #1 Dixie. It’s astonishing what iconic head coach Kim Nelson has done with losing virtually most of his big guns from last year's 5A state championship team and now has his club headed once again moving down the tracks towards another deep run this time the 4A level which is loaded with high caliber teams. With seven players driving in 10 runs or more, and a deep lineup from top to bottom, this is the type of lineup that only high end HS college talented pitchers will be able to navigate through. In week 6, the Timberwolves run-ruled Cedar 13-3 and are on a 10 game winning streak. This next week is a top 10 matchup in a 3 game series with #5 Provo. 

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SCOUTING DIRECTOR (BIO)

Scholzen comes to Prep Baseball after serving 9 years as the "Four Corners" Scouting Supervisor with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-2020). Prior to his run with the Brewers, Scholzen worked for the Los Angeles Angels for 11 years (1999-2010), serving in the same capacity as the "Four Corners" Scouting Supervisor (UT, WY, So-ID, Las Vegas, AZ, CO, NM and El Paso). Scholzen received a 2002 World Series ring for his contributions as a scout with the Angels. 

With the Angels, Scholzen created an Angels Scout Team, in which he coached the following MLB players: Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman, Greg Bird, Tyler Wagner, Aaron Blair, Joey Rickard, Donn Roach, Johnny Field, Taylor Cole, Andy Burns and Paul Sewald to name a few.

During his run with the the Angels, Scholzen also served as the hitting coach for the Angels rookie ball affiliate in the Pioneer League, the Orem Owlz, helping guide the Owlz to the 2005 and 2007 Pioneer League titles, which earned Jeff two more championship rings.

In Scholzen's 20 year scouting career, he was credited with the signing of 6 MLB players starting with: Brandon Wood, SS, Angels 2003, 1st Rd ~ Efren Navarro, 1B, Angels 2007, 50th Rd ~ Donn Roach, RHP, Angels 2010, 3rd Rd ~ Tyler Wagner, RHP, Brewers 2012, 4th Rd ~ Payton Henry, C, Brewers 2016, 6th Rd ~ Ryan Aguilar, 1B/OF - Brewers 2017, 31st Rd ~ Scholzen also had an additional 3 players added to various clubs 40 man MLB rosters over the years. Currently 2019 (14th Rd) draft pick, RHP-Paxton Schultz from Utah Valley U, is currently in AAA with the Toronto Blue Jays, and former 40 man Brewes rostered RHP (Utah Tech) just recently returned from Korea and signed with the NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks and will most likely start the year in AAA and once stretched out after an injury plagued 2023, File will move up to AAA!

Prior to becoming a professional scout, Scholzen served as the head coach at Southern Utah University between 1993-1997. At the time, Scholzen was the youngest Division I head coach in the country, when he was first hired at 24 years old. The Southern Utah baseball program was dropped after the 2012 season. While coaching at Southern Utah, Scholzen served as the hitting coach for the Alaska Goldpanners in 1995, as they won the Alaska League Championship. Scholzen also recruited and coached World Series RHP-Ryan Jensen of the San Francisco Giants, who would earn a top 5 finish for NL Rookie of the Year in 2022. Scholzen and Jensen had the unique opportunity, to be on opposing sides of the ledger, when Scholzen's Angels and Jensen's Giants squared off in the 2002 MLB Fall Classic.

Scholzen also had the pleasure of coaching Jensen's roommate and back up catcher, Kyle Turner who has worked in professional/major league baseball for 24 years. Kyle currently is in his 14th season with the big league Kansas City Royals and serves as the clubs Head Athletic Trainer. Turner was instramental, while a young player for Scholzen at Southern Utah, in introducing Scholzen to his first wife, the late Heidi Dalton Scholzen, who passed away in December of 2014. A native of Utah, Scholzen played at Hurricane HS and was twice named 1st team All-State and an AAU HM All-American, before moving on to Utah Valley CC and Eastern Oregon University, earning All-Conference honors on three separate occasions. Scholzen played in the Angels’ organization in 1991.

Scholzen was married to his late wife Heidi for 20 years and their union produced four children - McKyla 27, Miranda 24, McKenzie 22 and the couples only son, Grant Scholzen 19, who is a freshman 2B at D1 WCC school, the U of the Pacific (Pacific Tigers) on scholarship. After Heidi's passing in 2014, Scholzen married Cami Macias Scholzen, a widow herself and the same age as Heidi and the couple now have been married 8 years. Between both families, Jeff has 3 grandchildren and 5 step grandchildren (8 total) and the Scholzen's reside in Hurricane, UT in the bottom left SW corner of the state near the most iconic and scenic national parks in the country.