ST. GEORGE — Jackson Kirby, Hayden Smith, Crew Secrist and Tank Kelly are following in the footsteps of many Snow Canyon Warriors before them.
Snow Canyon baseball players (L to R) Jackson Kirby, Hayden Smith, Crew Secrist and Tank Kelly at their college signing ceremony, St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The four seniors inked letters of intent to play baseball in college in a ceremony for family and teammates at the high school Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s kind of a cool day to have four baseball players signing,” veteran Snow Canyon coach Reed Secrist said, noting that by the end of this season the Warriors will probably set a school-record for number of players who sign to go on to the next level.
“Excited about the program and the direction it’s gone. These four guys have been huge over the past three years, and we’re expecting a fourth one for them,” Secrist said.
Snow Canyon pitcher Jackson Kirby signed to play for Glendale (Arizona) Community College.
“I think I just like the coaches there, that’s basically why I chose them,” Kirby said.
Battery-mate and catcher Hayden Smith will join Kirby on the Gauchos roster. So too will Region 9 rivals Jarvis Osborn and Chachi Pincock from Crimson Cliffs High School.
“I liked the coaches too, plus I will get to play with a lot of my friends,” Smith said when asked why he chose to go to Glendale.
Shortstop Crew Secrist opted to sign with the College of Southern Idaho, following former Warrior and brother Cannon Secrist, to the community college in Twin Falls.
Snow Canyon baseball players (L to R) Jackson Kirby, Hayden Smith, Crew Secrist and Tank Kelly at their college signing ceremony, St. George, Utah, Nov. 14, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Crew is the fourth and final Secrist boy to matriculate through the Snow Canyon program.
“Coaches are good, field is nice and the facilities are good,” Crew Secrist said. “My older brother Cannon went there and he liked it a lot, so I’m following in his footsteps. Hopefully going to be better than him, though.”
And last but not least, senior Talan “Tank” Kelly signed to stay home in St. George and will play baseball at Utah Tech University.
“Coaches are all awesome, facilities are super nice and it’s close to home so I get to see my parents and my brother all the time,” Kelly said. “I’ve been here my whole life, so I figured, why not stay home.”
This class of Warriors competed for the 4A state baseball title every single year so far. Snow Canyon won the crown three years ago and then were state runners-up to Crimson Cliffs in the past two seasons.
Now these seniors can concentrate on going four-for-four as they’ve made their decisions about college and can now focus on playing the game in their final year at Snow Canyon.
Snow Canyon opens the 2024 baseball season at home on March 8 against Spanish Fork.
Dixie Flyers ink letters of intent
Joining its fellow Region 9 baseball programs, Dixie High School held a ceremony for its group of future college stars at the high school on Nov. 9.
Dixie Flyers baseball players (L to R) Braxton Yates, Boston Vest, Ridge Erickson, Logan Leavitt and Cooper Bartholomew at their college signing day ceremony, St. George, Utah, Nov. 9, 2023 | Photo by Devin Dixon, St. George News
Glendale (Arizona) Community College continued to mine the St. George talent pool as the Gauchos signed Dixie’s slick-fielding third baseman Logan Leavitt to next year’s roster.
Pitcher Ridge Erickson continues a long line of former Dixie Flyers to play at Brigham Young University.
And hard-hitting Dixie shortstop Boston Vest signed to play at New Mexico State in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Rounding out the Flyers’ contingent to play at college are Cooper Bartholomew and Braxton Yates, who will join a group of Southern Utah players going to play for the College of Southern Idaho.
Dixie opens the 2024 baseball season at home March 9 against Maple Mountain.
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