In what has become a tradition in their annual “Fallen Soldiers” event, Corner Canyon softball welcomed the Salem Hills softball team April 15. Both teams hosted Gold Star families from the Operation Hero program with players wearing commemorative jerseys and playing in honor of a fallen soldier and their family. The game’s importance—which was a 15-0 win by the Skyhawks —was minimized by the gestures of honoring fallen Utah military servicemen and women who are the real heroes.

“We get to wear special uniforms with the name of our fallen soldier on the back which recognizes who we are playing for,” said CCHS head coach Todd Thompson, noting that his players sometimes establish a much deeper connection with the soldier’s families beyond this game.

Fallen soldiers honored by Chargers players were PVT Phillip M. Christensen (represented by Hannah Brown), SPC David Gannon (Jojo Van Noord), SGT Jesse Allen Blamires (Katelyn Law), SSGT Ben Deveraux (Brooklyn Hyer), SPC Kyle Mecham (Hailey Sundquist), LT Joshua Ryan Wall (Amaya Kano, SGT Quincy Andrews Fenn (McKenna Gibbons, SPC Jordan Matthew Byrd (Brenley Clark), SSGT Alex Mitchell (Audrey Smith), SPC Daniel G. Dolan (Emma Rasmussen), SPC Michael Anderson Hatfield (Gwen Curry), SGT Aaron Kramer (Madi Barnes), PO2 Class John Adrian (Pauline Syda-Kuster), HM2 Daniella Juliana Casey (Taylor Dotson), SSG Kort Jensen (Paige Frohman), 2LT John Alley (Savannah Healy), SSGT Taylor Hoover (Bella Bassani), SGT Brandon Allen Parr (Cece Faucette), SSGT Dean Witt (Cheslie Sundquist) and CPT. William W. Jacobsen, Jr. (Lenci Zvekan).

Salem Hills players also played for fallen soldiers including SGT Matthew Simmons (represented by Caybrie Hansen), PVT Matthew G. Nish (Camryn Guest), SGT Sheldon Loveless (Katey Keel), SSGT Jeffrey Rollins (Bryton Buttars), SSGT Lincoln Olmstead (Brooklyn Hansen), SPC Tyler Hill (Tess Newitt), CW3 Matt Wagstaff (Jaci Warner), SPC Cody Towse (Emma Higginson), SSG Landon Henscheid (Hallie Walker), LCpl Nigel Olsen (Rilyne Keck), SSGT Christian “Fox” Larsen (Grace Nieves), SPC Kasey Beatty (Mylee Vest), SSG Douglas Moxon (Beau Newitt), LCpl Quinn Keith (Jocelyn Hepler), LCpl Dion Stephensen (Taylan Haveron), SGT Jacob Lannigan (Jocile Norman), MAJ Mathew Wharton (Whitney Vonachen), CPL David Griggs (Tessa Molyneaux) and SGT Adam Gage (Addie Wilson).

Corner Canyon wrapped up a 2-15 season with two losses to Cyprus in the Regional round of the 6A state tournament. The Chargers were led this season by junior Savannah Healy with 11 RBIs, batting .340, and senior Chelsie Sundquist who also drove in 11 runs this spring. λ