Editor’s Note: For 20 days in April, the Deseret News will profile 20 elite high school athletes from the 2020 graduating class and how they’re coping with the premature end of senior life on and off the field.
ST. GEORGE — If COVID-19 indeed cancels the remainder of the high school spring sports season, at least Dixie senior Cooper Vest went out in style.
In his final start back on March 12, the lefty struck out 20 batters in a 2-0 win over Spanish Fork. The only putout that wasn’t a K in the scorebook was bunt in the sixth inning.
“That one hurt, but still very happy with my performance,” said Vest, who finished one strikeout shy of tying the state record 21 strikeouts.
Two players in state history have struck out 21 batters in a seven-inning game, Delta’s Dean Fowles in 1976 and West Ridge’s Will Sprowls in 2011.
A few hours before Vest took the mound that Thursday night, the UHSAA announced that all high school sports would be suspended for two weeks beginning the following Monday. There was immediate speculation that the suspension could last the entire season.
“People were talking about it that it was maybe going to be my last time taking the mound at Flyer Field and in a Dixie uniform, so it was a pretty special feeling to do that,” said Vest.
“The biggest thing for me, you don’t realize how much everyone means to you especially in an environment that Dixie has. I didn’t realize how big of a part of my life they were until that last weekend. Now it feels like there’s a part of me that’s missing.” — Dixie’s Cooper Vest
Like every senior athlete in Utah, Vest is hopeful that games will still be played, and the BYU commit is doing everything he can to stay ready. He lifts weights and does cardio whenever he can, and keeps his arm loose by throwing with his 14-year-old brother Boston.
If there are no more games, Vest said he’ll be sad but content with the career he’s enjoyed as a varsity contributor since his freshman year. After all, as a freshman it was his three-run walk-off home run in the 3A championship game that clinched the state title for Dixie.
Vest’s biggest sadness is for his senior teammates.
“I feel more for my teammates that were supposed to fill the role of seniors leaving last year,” said Vest. “All the time and effort that we had to put in for our last offseason, especially the seniors that didn’t get a chance to play in a lot of varsity games as underclassmen. Leading up to it, it was supposed to be one of their favorite seasons as an athlete.”
For Vest, there will eventually be more baseball at BYU. He’s enrolling in school this fall and hoping to compete for time on the mound as a true freshman next spring.
Vest identifies himself as a crafty lefty, whose fastball tops out around 87. Spanish Fork hitters can attest with how nasty his pitches are.
If he’s indeed played his last game, Vest finishes with arguably one of the best careers in state history. In four years on the mound, he’s racked up a 22-1 record with a 1.16 ERA, nine shutouts and four no-hitters. He’s struck out 252 batters while only walking 45.
He was figured to be a big contributor at the plate this year as well to build on last year’s .479 batting average with 13 doubles, six home runs and 41 RBI.
As Vest and the sporting world waits in limbo on when sports will return, it’s the camaraderie void he’s missing most.
“The biggest thing for me, you don’t realize how much everyone means to you especially in an environment that Dixie has. I didn’t realize how big of a part of my life they were until that last weekend. Now it feels like there’s a part of me that’s missing,” said Vest.
He really hopes he gets the chance to walk the Dixie halls one more time with his classmates and sit in the dugout one more time with his teammates.