1 / 5

Syracuse High senior Easton Hamblin receives the Coach's Award during the 2025 Utah High School Baseball Games on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

2 / 5

Davis High's Jaxon Marble fires toward first base during the 2025 Utah High School Baseball Games on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

3 / 5

Syracuse High's Dominic Johnatakis delivers a pitch during the 2025 Utah High School Baseball Games on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

4 / 5

Davis High's Wally Grant cuts high during the 2025 Utah High School Baseball Games on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

5 / 5

Syracuse High's Easton Hamblin pops one into the stands during the 2025 Utah High School Baseball Games on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lindquist Field in Ogden.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

❮ ❯

OGDEN — The tumultuous ride of a senior-year baseball player, navigating the emotion of one last ride while gauging the probability of college ball, made room for a bit of Sandlot-style fun for a handful of Northern Utah stars on Saturday at Lindquist Field.

The 81st annual Utah High School All-Star Baseball Games, hosted by Ogden City Recreation, opened its three-game showcase – two senior games and an underclassmen feature – with a Davis County spin between Region 1 neighbors Davis and Syracuse in the morning contest.

By his count, Syracuse senior Easton Hamblin has enough memories to outweigh an 8-17 overall finish by the Titans. On Saturday, Davis, which defeated Syracuse in the 6A super regionals and fell a game shy of the state championship series, had a new game afoot with the Titans.

Three RBI on two hits by Hamblin, and two strong innings pitched by Syracuse senior Dominic Johnatakis, were crucial for Team McCoy’s 7-3 win over Team Godfrey.

Hamblin’s All-Star performance rounds out a list that includes a 21-run win over West Field, an old-school brawl with Layton in April, and a Calder Miller walkoff vs. Weber in May’s home senior sendoff. The stories will always carry more than any record, Hamblin said.

“This whole year’s been full of fun memories,” Hamblin said. “Even though we didn’t play great, we all had fun and competed so that’s the main thing.”

Hamblin took home the Coach’s Award, voted upon by Wasatch head coach Beau McCoy and Davis head coach Josh Godfrey. Davis senior Owen Talbot, the key name behind Team Godfrey’s eight total hits, earned the Offensive Player of the Game award.

Gage Woods (Riverton) earned Defensive Player of the Game and Hugo Cubillan (Granger) was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

To play on the opposite side of the Davis trio of Talbot, last year’s All-Area Player of the Year, Wally Grant and Umpqua commit Jaxon Marble is a fitting end to their prep careers, Hamblin said.

“We all played travel ball together this last summer, so when (Davis) took us out it was a bittersweet day,” Hamblin said. “We’ve played our last regular-season game and our last game (Saturday) with our high school jerseys on together so it was pretty fun.”

Davis used two games (10-0, 5-2) to knock Syracuse out of the postseason, sweeping a second season series between the two programs. But remove the region animus, and the boys on the field become just that – boys.

“To play ’em one last time was pretty fun,” Grant said. “Especially battling all region (long) and then you get a fun game unlike the chippy ones. Don’t get me wrong, the chippy games are fun, but this one’s about just playing around and having fun.”

Shedding those school colors, however, is a tough task.

“I still think I’m a part of it, which isn’t great, but it’s time to move on,” Grant said. “I’ve started for four years, so it’s hard to move on, but it’s time…I love my brothers at Davis High and they mean the world to me. We’ve created such a great relationship and bond, it’s hard not to only step away from the game, but them too.

“They’re my best friends.”

Friends they’ll remain, and some will even become future teammates. Hamblin and Grant will soon be competing for the same squad with both having committed to the College of Southern Idaho,

Johnatakis, on the other hand, is headed for Miles Community College in southeastern Montana. Johnatakis faced all three Darts one last time on Saturday through the third and fourth frames, allowing just one run in protecting a 5-1 lead en route to his side’s win.

“We’ve known each since we were probably 10,” Johnatakis said. “It’s been awesome to come out and play one more game with them. I love these guys and it’s going to be sad to not be able to play with them anymore, but I’m still going to support them.”

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.