Kanab outfielder Hayden Gubler (27) hoists up the championship trophy as he and his teammates celebrate after defeating San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Isaac Hale, Deseret News
By Tommy Bailey
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After suffering heartbreak a year again in the championship series, Kanab can now call itself champion, as it defeated San Juan 13-6 in the 2A state baseball championship game on Saturday.
Kanab was led offensively by Grady Anderson, who finished with four RBIs, and Kanon Virostko added three.
On the mound Kanab got a gem from pitcher Brady Ramsey, who threw a complete game with eight strikeouts.
“I’m just really proud of our guys,” said Kanab head coach Craig Brinkerhoff. “They’re just super resilient. Just great young men. Just great young men, great teammates.
“They play for each other. They’re able to get pushed hard. They know what it takes to win and they’re just great, great young men.”
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Kanab outfielder Hayden Gubler (27) hoists up the championship trophy as he and his teammates celebrate after defeating San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab infielder Latimer Glover (11) celebrates his run during the 2A baseball state championship game against San Juan, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Kanon Virostko (21) celebrates his double beside San Juan second baseman Jonah John (1) during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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A Kanab baserunner sports a towel during the 2A baseball state championship game against San Juan, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan pitcher Baylor Nielson (3) connects with the ball during the 2A baseball state championship game against Kanab, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan pitcher Baylor Nielson (3) delivers a pitch to a Kanab batter during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab outfielder Kolton Blomquist (7) rounds third base as he makes his way to home plate for a run against San Juan during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab outfielder Kolton Blomquist (7) celebrates his run against San Juan at home plate during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Kanon Virostko, left, celebrates his run against San Juan with outfielder Hayden Gubler (27) during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Sayer Fenus (6) beats the tag by San Juan second baseman Jonah John (1) at second base during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan infielder Jagger Nieves (2) fields the ball off a Kanab hit during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Grady Anderson (1) safely slides into second base to beat the tag by San Juan second baseman Jonah John (1) during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan infielder Keilan Hutchins (38) delivers a pitch to a Kanab batter during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Kanon Virostko (21) celebrates his two-run home run against San Juan with head coach Craig Brinkerhoff as Virostko makes his way toward home plate during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab’s Kanon Virostko (21) celebrates his two-run home run against San Juan with his teammates at home plate during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan head coach Jens Nielson hands the ball to outfielder Nache Young (35) as Young is subbed in as a pitcher against Kanab during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan pitcher Nache Young (35) delivers a pitch to a Kanab batter during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab head coach Craig Brinkerhoff calls out to his players during the 2A baseball state championship game against San Juan, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab infielder Latimer Glover (11) rounds the bases as he celebrates his solo home run against San Juan during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan first baseman Remy Whatcott, back, consoles outfielder Jonas Jeppesen (12) after San Juan was defeated by Kanab 13-6 in the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan infielder Keilan Hutchins (38) celebrates his walked run against Kanab with pitcher Jagger Nieves (2) during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan pitcher Jagger Nieves (2) celebrates his run against Kanab during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan outfielder Jonas Jeppesen (12) celebrates his double against Kanab during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab pitcher Brady Ramsay (22) delivers a pitch to a San Juan batter during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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San Juan second baseman Jagger Nieves (2) tags the base to out Kanab infielder Brogun Virostko (9) as Virostko slides toward second base during the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab players celebrate around the championship trophy after defeating San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab players celebrate after defeating San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab head coach Craig Brinkerhoff is doused with water after Kanab defeated San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Kanab players pose for a photo after defeating San Juan 13-6 to win the 2A baseball state championship game, held at Larry H. Miller Field in Provo on Saturday, May 9, 2026. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
San Juan kept it close throughout the beginning of the game, trailing by just a run at 5-4 through its half of the fourth inning, but Kanab did what it always does and broke things wide open with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth.
For Brinkerhoff, the driving force for the team during the game and what willed the team to the title was the memory of defeat a year ago.
“I think the key to us getting the win today was what happened last year, and how that kind of changed it for us this year, so looking hindsight, that’s kind of what helped us looking forward today. You know, I felt like our seniors were ready for the moment more,” Brinkerhoff said.
While winning and going deep in the state playoffs is always any team’s goal, Brinkerhoff said that it’s about more than just that. The program’s focus has always been on preparing players not only for competition, but for life beyond baseball.
“These kids worked their butts off all year, and for our program, it just means that we’re ready to play. We want to make kids become men and it’s because they’re just great young men,” he said.
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“For our program, that’s what we expect for the kids coming in and when they leave the program.”
Reflecting on the season, Brinkerhoff said he always knew his team had something special. Despite the challenge of replacing key seniors, he said the group’s toughness and resilience helped set the tone for a memorable year.
“From the very beginning, I mean, always replacing seniors is tough, but we knew coming back what we had. Just the grit and the grind that these guys had, we knew we had something special,” he said.
“We knew that we were tough. We knew that they were really resilient kids, and they showed up throughout the whole year.”
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