SALT LAKE CITY — The Judge Memorial Catholic High School Boys Baseball team made school history by winning the 2008 3A State Baseball Championship Title at Kearns High School May 17. The Judge Bulldogs defeated the Juan Diego Catholic High School Soaring Eagle team 6-2. They dominated the field by having more depth in their pitching staff than the other 3A teams. "Judge Memorial only lost one game this entire season," said Jeff Myaer, Judge Memorial head baseball coach. "We lost to Snow Canyon High School, who is a 4A team. They beat us last year in the state tournament. That was our eighth game of the season. We had one bad inning and they beat us. "We were ranked number one all last year (2007), and had a good chance of winning the championship, but came up short. We lost in the final championship game. In 2006, in the state championship, we lost in the semi-finals. "I have had Joe Pond, a pitcher and Tyson Moll, a catcher, both St. Olaf kids, who came the same year I did," said Myaer. "This was their senior year, and they had a mission to win nothing less than a state championship. "I know it takes a lot," said Myaer. "You have to get hot at the right time, you have to be lucky, but they got it done. They set out to achieve a goal, and by the time they left as seniors they had a first, second, and third place finish at state. Those boys have been with me for four years and they are now graduating. "This is going to be a tough loss for me, but they had a remarkable season," said Myaer. "We only lost one game with a record of 26 and one, and it was remarkable. They did what they needed to do, and we were ranked number 1 all year. It is tough to play with that bull’s-eye on your back the whole year. They did the same thing last year. But they answered the call in the State Championship Tournament, against an excellent Juan Diego team who made it to the finals from the loser’s bracket. Juan Diego is a well-coached team, and a team who competes well. "Keenyn Walker threw a two-hitter against Canyon View in our first game," said Myaer. "Walker did a fabulous job. "I knew we would be playing Juan Diego and we had to get to that final game on Saturday," said Myaer. "I knew if we threw Pond, in the semi-final game we would get there. It was a great dilemma I had, because I have three or four quality pitchers, but the way Pond has been throwing the last couple of years he probably would give us our best chance to get there. So I went with Pond and he pitched five strong innings and did not allow any runs. Then I had Carmen pitch the championship game. Pond only threw 65 pitches on Friday, so I had him if we needed him. His arm was not done. We still could have thrown Pond in the championship game. "Carmen stepped up to the plate in that championship game and did a fabulous job. He struck out 10 batters in a complete game. "Moll had been struggling a tiny bit at the plate compared to his average during the year, and he stepped up big for us," said Myaer. "We were down one run. He hit a two-run home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the third inning to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. We did not trail again. Moll leads our teams in home runs and did it again in the championship game. It was a remarkable time for that to happen. "To win a state title you have got to have players," said Myaer. "I have players. "All I had to do was stay out of there way and let them play. All it took was hitting the weight room and working out, playing hard over the summer, and creating discipline. It was a great ending. "We will lose three seniors this year and it will be very difficult to fill their shoes," said Myaer. "We have some great kids coming back. But that is a big loss. However, all three will go on to play college baseball. Pond has signed to play for the University of Utah, Moll has signed to play for the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif., and Matt Thorne has signed to play for the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee."
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