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The American Fork baseball team (with head coach Jarod Ingersoll right on top) celebrates winning a 6A state title at UCCU Ballpark on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

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American Fork coach Jarod Ingersoll instructs his players following the Cavemen's 3-1 win over Timpanogos on Monday. March 9, 2026

Brandon Gurney, Provo Daily Herald

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American Fork head coach Jarod Ingersoll hugs junior Bode Gaggero after the 6A championship series against Lehi at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 24, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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American Fork head coach Jarod Ingersoll (center) talks to his players during the 6A championship series against Lehi at UCCU Ballpark in Orem on Saturday, May 24, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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Toward the end of Jarod Ingersoll’s post-championship interview with the media this past Saturday, he paused, gave a bit of an uncomfortable look before stating, “I’m butchering this interview.”

Even if one is to take the American Fork skipper’s opinion of his interview prowess in this instance as the truth (his quotes were fine, and even very good, at least in my opinion), it would be about the only thing he’s come close to butchering over the past six seasons.

This past Saturday marked American Fork baseball’s fourth state title won over the past six years and its second-straight. It’s not a common six year stretch for any high school sports program in any sport at any particular level. It’s the type of run set forth by great programs of past years such as Corner Canyon football under Eric Kjar, Bingham football under Dave Peck and even Lone Peak boys basketball under Quincy Lewis.

And the sheer numbers bear that out.

Kjar won seven state championships over a 14 years period prior to taking the head coaching gig at Weber State. Peck won five championships for Bingham over a 15 year period and then there’s Lewis, who won seven state championships over the 12 year period he coached for the Knights. Those are just some examples, although they’re probably the more recognizable runs in recent years.

So yeah, Ingersoll is absolutely on pace and should probably already be considered as one of the more successful coaches in Utah prep history in any sport. American Fork has been just that good over the past six seasons.

But don’t ask Ingersoll himself about any of his own personal accomplishments, as he’d be almost certain to deflect any personal attention to his players, assistant coaches and the American Fork community in general.

Consider when the Cavemen won their state championship back in 2025. Yours truly was there, along with the typical throng of media, and watched with some degree of amazement when the TV press gathered around top American Fork assistant and pitching coach Scott Jeppson. Jeppson handled all the questions in stride while Ingersoll went about making himself relatively inconspicuous while cleaning up his team’s dug-out.

I initially thought that it was some sort of joke Ingersoll played, but that assuredly wasn’t the case. Although I’ve yet to ask him about it specifically, I’m relatively certain he simply preferred one of his top coaches, someone he believes to be at least as responsible as him for his program’s success, to capture some of the limelight that Ingersoll simply doesn’t care about.

I’ve been involved with my share of championship interviews since 2012, and not even once have I seen a high school coach defer to one of his assistants to conduct the championship interview with the gathered media.  So deferring to Jeppson in this instance is absolutely extraordinary and casts some perspective on who Ingersoll is, how he regards his staff, and most importantly, how it’s helped breed his team’s impressive run over the past six seasons.

But don’t think for a second that he’s a passive coach in any regard. Not even close.

During American Fork’s regional matchup with Farmington at the outset of the 2026 state playoffs, the Cavemen were enjoying a very comfortable lead. Ingersoll positioned himself as the team’s third-base coach while his team was at bat when he suddenly and sternly got after some of the junior varsity players in the dugout for looking bored and not providing the necessary team support he demands.

So no, not even the most minute detail misses his gaze, although Ingersoll would strongly suggest that dugout support is hardly a minute detail in forging team success.

And who would dare argue with him?

During that same game versus Farmington I noticed American Fork listing the state championships won on the right field fence. The 2026 state championship will soon be added to those in 2025, 2023 and 2021, but also the unofficial championship won during a 2020 year when the COVID pandemic precluded the baseball season just a few days after it began.

Ingersoll’s players, much like thousands across the country were forced to stay at home that year until a forthright group of parents ushered in what was called ‘The Last Chance Tournament’ to provide players with at least some chance to compete for what was an otherwise lost season. Some teams chose not to compete, while others didn’t take it all that seriously. But American Fork certainly did, and managed to come out on top as the players celebrated as if they had won an official state championship.

Ingersoll fought back tears when surrounded by media, expressing deep regret that his players, and especially his seniors had their season taken away from them. But he also praised those same players earnestly for taking the opportunity they were provided and then making the most of it, and in thereby doing recognizing their win of that unsanctioned event as at least as significant as any of the ensuing four official state titles.

“The kids did it. And it was really special how they came back to fight,” Ingersoll said to the media following the win. “In such big circumstances, I was just proud of them coming together as a team.”

So make that five championships in seven years for Ingersoll and American Fork, speaking even louder to the success he’s administered over the past seven seasons. And given the program he’s established, along with all those involved around him, it’s probably just the beginning of what will be well-considered one of the better high school dynasties in state history.