Cottonwood's Cliff Anderson, who was recently named a PUMA Preseason All-American, signed a national letter of intent over the weekend to play baseball at Oklahoma State University. The Cowboys finished with a 34-25 record last year, and went 1-2 in the Big 12 tournament.
As a junior last year, Anderson helped lead the Colts to the 5A state championship, and was also named a Deseret Morning News all-state second-team outfielder.
Anderson was a wide receiver on Cottonwood's 5A runner-up football team in 2004, but opted not to play football this year to focus on baseball.
BYU and Baylor were among the other schools interested in Anderson.
SOCCER ALL-STAR GAME: American Fork's Adrian Snyder and Woods Cross' Kelley Robinson each scored two goals Monday as the North battled the the South to a 2-2 draw in the Utah College Showcase, a girls soccer high school all-star game.
SALAZAR RANKED NO. 1: Wasatch sophomore Jake Salazar has been ranked the No. 1 freshman/sophomore wrestler in the country at 135 pounds by Wrestling USA Magazine.
As a freshman last year at Wasatch, Salazar finished with a 34-6 record and lost in the championship match to Lehi senior Rodney Sager.
Salazar wasn't the only Utah freshman or sophomore ranked by Wrestling USA Magazine.
Springville freshman Jason Chamberlain was ranked second at 119 pounds. He enjoyed two undefeated seasons prior to high school.
Other Utah wrestlers ranked in the top 30 in their respective weight classes were: Murray's Matthew Fairbrother (No. 8, 275), Wasatch's Ethan Smith (No. 13, 140), Lone Peak's Blake Mangum (No. 21, 125) and Brighton's Cole Shafer (No. 28, 140).
The following five wrestlers received special mention: Brighton's Jaes Jones (103), Cyprus' Matthew Brown (112), Jordan's Jonathan Gappmaier (112), Payson's Tag Miller (125) and Millard's Quincy Thatcher (130).
WEST JORDAN VACANCY: West Jordan is accepting applications for a boys head soccer coach. Interested applicants should contact athletic director Dale Cowan at 256-5600.
RANDOM FOOTBALL NOTES: With San Juan losing to Grand in the 2A championship game last weekend, for the first time since 1988, no Utah high school football team finished the season with an undefeated record . . . In last weekend's 2A championship game, San Juan's Jens Wilson set a new state record by returning his fifth kickoff of the season for a touchdown. Wilson also returned a punt for a touchdown earlier this year, which ties him with Cottonwood's Cal Beck (1993), Morgan's Drew Bott (1994) and Kanab's Bob Ramsey (1971) with six kick returns in a season.
STATE HEISMAN WINNERS: Highland's Marie Livingston and Duchesne's Derek Bruton were recently named as Utah's Wendy's High School Heisman winners.
Bruton was a member of Duchesne's semifinal 1A football team this year, and was also named a Deseret Morning News academic all-stater. He is also Duchesne's student body president and participates in track in the spring.
Livingston was a member of Highland's tennis team this fall.
GRID PICKS WINNERS: Readers entering the Deseret Morning News Grid Picks contests for 1A and 2A football proved fairly good prognosticators.
Thirty-three people correctly picked the winners of all seven games in the 2A state tournament, and eight entrants were 7-for-7 in the 1A contest. So prizes were awarded based on how close prickers came to guessing the score of the championship game. In one case where that didn't resolve a tie, the computer randomly selected a winner.
Winning the grand prize of $50 and a T-shirt in the 1A contest was Coby Glover of Kanab. Six runners-up each win a Deseret Morning News Grid Picks T-shirt: Jay Roberts, Provo; Abraham Geake, Orem; Darrin Jenson, Annabella, Sevier County; Eric Christensen, Brigham City; Jed Neilson, Bountiful; and Kent Lutz, Provo.
First place in the 2A contest was Del Dickson, Vernal. He also wins $50 and a T-shirt. Runners-up receiving T-shirts: Ronald Dolphin, Moab; Anna Thayn, Monticello; Craig Jensen, Lehi; Wendy Dalton, Salt Lake City; Conrad Yanito, Moab; and Geneava Francis, Salt Lake City.