A ground ball to the Juan Diego infield was a dead end this season. Forget about getting on base.

The Soaring Eagle had one of the state's top defensive units, and the cornerstone was three-year starter Kody Davis. The Utah-bound senior was textbook in the way he fielded, confident and rangy. If there was a ball somewhere near shortstop, Davis was just about guaranteed to be there.

"It was amazing to get this opportunity," coach Troy Davis says about coaching his son. "He has passion and desire. He's never been a big guy, but he's never let that get in his way. He buys into coaching."

Davis represented the maddening consistency of Juan Diego baseball, a program that boasted a lot of terrific players who were made better by knowing the game. Davis was at the heart of it, winning a title every year as a starter.

Leading the Soaring Eagle three-peat makes Davis The Salt Lake Tribune Class 3A MVP.

One of the biggest factors in Juan Diego's success was the middle infield, locked down by Davis and second baseman Yuto Kata. The two coordinated better than possibly any duo in the state at their positions.

"We just clicked from Day One," Davis says. "We were on the same page, same baseball knowledge. As soon as he learned English, it was easy."

Davis certainly made great plays look effortless. Juan Diego was one of the few teams that could consistently turn double plays or make tricky base running look routine. Davis was also a heads-up batter who reached base safely almost three out of every four at-bats.

Ultimately, Davis leaves behind three state title banners that he helped win. And that legacy will keep its value as he continues his career in college.

"It definitely meant a lot more this year because no one thought we'd win it again," Davis says. "As a senior, it was really special." -

The teams

All-State baseball teams (pdf) • http://bit.ly/iD2Zye

All-State baseball MVPs (pdf) • http://bit.ly/mfkZbL