The sun is setting on another baseball season at Golden Valley High School, and for the senior boys of the varsity team, it signifies more than just the end of a season. It marks the closing of a chapter they have written since they first picked up a bat. With dirt on their cleats, bruises on their shins, and countless memories stitched into every inning, these boys are walking off the diamond not just as players, but as brothers, leaders, and legends of the Grizzly legacy.
“Most of these boys have been playing since they were five or six years old,” said Head Coach Marcus Kennedy. “It’s been a big part of their lives. Now that chapter is over, and they are starting a new one.”
This year’s graduating class, including #2 Bryce Gayle, #4 Andrew Ahumada, #6 Conner Anderson, #8 Skylar Sears, #12 Vincent Hundelt, #17 Isaiah Reyes, #21 Matthew Rivas, #28 Andrew Sundae, #29 Jase Mills, #55 Aiden Lujan, #59 Tyler Whitmore, and #95 Jonathan Whitmore, are leaving behind more than just cleat marks on the infield.
More Than a Team
“This group has something special,” Coach Kennedy said. “We have a culture here. Every day, I look at them and pick out a moment that I can keep with me.”
Those moments might not always make it onto the scoreboard, but they create lasting memories.
For instance, senior #6 Conner Anderson had everyone laughing during one practice when he went for a ball that was 30 feet over the fence. “I ran face-first into the fence. I didn’t realize what had happened and laid on the ground for 10 seconds… then I went into the dugout and everyone laughed at me,” he recalled.
There is joy in that. There’s a strong sense of team, a kind of love that develops from fighting through challenges together, game after game, year after year.
Tyler Whitmore, #59, captured it perfectly: “Hyping each other up, some of the guys use choice words to get us excited, and we just try to have as much fun as possible.”
For the Love of the Game
That fun was underpinned by something deeper: drive. These boys didn’t just show up for each other, they showed up together.
Senior #21 Matthew Rivas embraces a simple yet profound truth: “Don’t care what anybody thinks of you. Go out and do what you love, and do it with full passion and love.”
That passion was evident on the field, in the sweat, in the long practices, in the heartbreak of losses, and in the celebration of significant wins, like this season’s impressive sweep over Canyon.
Senior #28 Andrew Sundae approached every pitch with calm commitment. “I prepared for it like any other game,” he said. “Yes, it’s probably one of my last here, but I still prepare the same way as I would for any other game.”
That kind of discipline leaves a mark and inspires the next generation.
“Our seniors do a great job of mentoring the underclassmen,” Coach Kennedy said. “They guide them on the field.”
Even in their final season, these boys were still building for the future.
Beyond the Dugout
Of course, behind every player is a family who has cheered from the bleachers through it all—rain or shine, win or lose.
Aaron Sears, mother of senior #8 Skylar Sears, is beaming with pride. “I’m excited for him to continue playing baseball in college,” she said. For him, the journey isn’t over; it is simply entering its next inning.
Jandy Sundae, mother of Andrew, reflected on the full-circle moment: “Andrew has been playing baseball for 14 years—since he was four. It’s been a baseball journey for him, and it’s an exciting day to close out that chapter as he embarks on a new one.”
“While he is hanging up his cleats here,” she added, “he’s embarking on an exciting adventure ahead. We are all very excited for him and what he will accomplish in his future.”
For Shannon Whitmore, watching her sons Jonathan and Tyler on the field represented more than just baseball; it was about character. “I’m so proud of their character,” she said. “The way they handle life off the field reflects on the field. The impact they made on their teammates has been amazing to watch. I’m proud of how they persevered through injuries and challenges.”
Hanging Up the Cleats
Ultimately, every player must pass through the moment when they hang up their cleats.
For the Golden Valley seniors, that moment has arrived.
“It’s really hard to say goodbye to the game,” Coach Kennedy admitted. “But baseball translates into life. You’re going to fail. You’re going to fall. Life will be tough. But if you learn from that failure and process those mistakes…”
