You want winners:
* In MaCauley Flint's four years as a starter (2008-11), the Royals swept a state 4-A softball title (2009), were 5-A runners-up (2010) and won a state 5-A championship last month. Roy High was a four-time outright or league co-champion in Regions 5 and 1 with a 52-4 record and went 95-18 overall.
* During Kelli Smart's four years with Da Bears -- the last three as a starter -- Bear River had a 3-A four-peat, joining Bingham as the only schools to capture four consecutive state softball titles. The Bears were 37-3 in Region 11 spanning 2008-11 with three outright or shared league titles and went 93-19 overall.
The two recently graduated standouts, who will each play college softball this fall at Salt Lake Community College and Utah Valley University, respectively, share the 2011 Standard-Examiner All-Area Softball Team's Most Valuable Player accolade.
MaCauley Flint
Flint, an 18-year-old right-hander, did not lose to a Utah team this year. She was 25-1 with a 0.84 ERA and seven shutouts. Flint raised her batting average 98 points to .484, and nearly had as many walks (33) as hits (34). "MaCauley came back a very determined soul and wanted redemption for herself, her school, her team and the whole Roy community. She wanted to give them what we missed out on last year," Roy coach Mandy Koford said.
"Winning it the first time was a new feeling, and we had never experienced anything like that before," Flint said. "We didn't know how many fans would be there (at Taylorsville's Valley Complex) and there were a million. I have a lot of best friends on this team, and last year was a disappointment to me not winning state again. I felt like I let them down, and I wanted them to experience what it felt like to be a state champion."
Flint and her father, Travis, worked on fine-tuning MaCauley's hitting during the offseason at open gyms.
"I was rushing toward the ball last year," Flint said. "I became more selective this year and didn't rush as much. It gave me more time to see the ball."
The result was 17 extra-base hits and a scintillating .939 slugging percentage.
"To be such a consistent and powerful hitter was a necessity on this team," Koford said. "MaCauley was the key player on the team, and going into it she knew she had to lead the team on and off the field.
"For three months of the season, these girls are her best friends and her family," she said. "MaCauley was a motivator, great at giving them the confidence they needed and so good at pulling things out of them. Every ounce of energy and desire came from her; MaCauley was so determined.
"She brought such a competitive attitude to Roy High School for four years," said Koford, who is Flint's aunt. "MaCauley's legacy will never be forgotten. There are not too many girls who can accomplish what she did."
"It was a fun, fun run we had," Flint said. "Some trials we had to go through, but I wouldn't change it for anything. This is definitely a team award and I couldn't have done it without my team.
"It was nice to end things on a winning note instead of finishing second," she said. "It was my final goodbye; I'm so sad it's over. We've grown so much as a group the last two years, and I'm so proud to be a part of what we accomplished. What really is going to kill me is coming back to watch the Black and Gold and not being a part of it."
Flint was the 2010 Standard-Examiner All-Area Softball Team's MVP.
Kelli Smart
Smart, an 18-year-old shortstop, smacked seven home runs. She had 37 RBIs and 22 walks while raising her batting average 66 points to .408 with just nine strikeouts.
"Kelli always rose to the occasion, hitting better in the state tournament when things were on the line. It was just the athlete in her coming out," Bear River coach Calvin Bingham said.
In five 3-A tournament games, Smart batted .643 with two bombs, 15 RBIs -- the next Bears' player had six RBIs -- and an eye-popping 1.286 slugging percentage.
"I knew we had the potential with all the talent we had to at least win it once, but I never thought in a million years we would win it four times in a row," Smart said. "We weren't even ranked at the beginning of the year and it kind of made us mad. It was just a matter of proving everybody else wrong."
"Kelli had the ability to get things going when we needed it and could produce in clutch situations," Bingham said. "She is as athletic as anybody we've had. She has quick wrists, and her power came from her wrists and rotating her hips.
"Kelli is the type of player who can play anywhere," he said. "Her athleticism and leadership made her an ideal person to play shortstop. She is a natural in leadership and leads by example."
Smart was a speed-up runner and pitch hitter as a freshman. She started in left field as a sophomore before moving to the infield for the 2010 season.
"If I had to pick a favorite state title it would be this year because I was a senior, but they were each really fun," Smart said. "I had a good season and it was a good way to end my high school softball career. I wanted people to think I was good enough to play at the next level, so I put a little pressure on myself to have my best season.
"Our younger girls really stepped up; we liked being the underdogs," she said. "We beat some good 5-A teams this year. I was a team captain and my role was to make sure everybody worked hard at practice. I wanted things to be serious but still fun, especially being in the field house as much as we were."
Smart says a strong summer program has put Da Bears on the state's softball map.
"Playing every week -- 50 or 60 games -- and you get tons of practice," she said.
"Kelli can back up what she wants everybody to do with her play on the field," Bingham said. "She will be a hard one to replace. Overall for her career, Kelli is as good as we've had. I like every time when she gets up (to bat) there is a chance something good is going to happen."
Smart is one of only two Bear River players to play on four state championship softball teams.
"I'm way sad it's over," she said. "I really bonded with this team, and I'm sad to see it be done. Once we get our new rings, I'll wear all four on my right hand. Being a three-sport athlete for four years helped me and everything translates."
Smart has no objections to being a co-most valuable player.
"To be able to share it with MaCauley, who is the best pitcher in the state, and to share it with somebody I am close friends with is cool."
Comments