Eudora ? Coaches love to talk about how certain players are just winners, that no matter where they go, success follows.

Kyle Brouhard fits the formula.

The Eudora High senior has nearly as many varsity letters to his name as losses during a three-year varsity career in which he has played two of the most pressure-packed positions in any athletic environment – quarterback and shortstop (with a little pitching thrown in just for good measure).

While his work behind center has drawn him the most notice from high school sports fans, it’s his play on the diamond that has grabbed the attention of a handful of Kansas community college coaches looking to add Brouhard to their programs next fall.

But first comes his final task as a high school athlete – finding a way to lead the Cardinals into this year’s Class 4A state baseball tournament after coming up short the last two seasons.

You’ve experienced a great deal of success at Eudora High in both football and baseball. What has been the secret to success?

Probably the coaching, honestly. (Football coach Gregg Webb) came in after coach Barnett left, and he did a real good job with us. (Baseball coach Dirk Kinney) came in after coach Dunnaway, and he’s done a real good job. Another thing is our kids. We bond real well. We hang out. We understand how to play the game.

Baseball is arguably the easiest sport to slip up and falter somewhere throughout the season. That said, what’s it like to be 17-1 this spring?

It’s a great accomplishment. When most teams don’t hit on Saturdays or hit on Sundays or practice out in the rain or practice when the field’s wet … we’re a team that does that. We practice six days a week, no matter what’s going on. We’re either hitting in the cage or going inside and taking ground balls.

Coach Webb and coach Kinney both seem like guys who are very intense and demand a lot out of you, but at the same time know how to keep it fun. Is that kind of what it’s like playing for them?

Eudora High senior Kyle Brouhard has been a dual threat for the Cardinals this spring, batting over .400 and racking up a 6-0 mark as a pitcher.

Yes it is. Coach Webb : during practice, he’ll jump on you when you’re doing something wrong because he knows you’re good. Coach Kinney is the same exact way. The reason why he jumps on us, the reason why he yells at us, the things he does, is because he knows what we can do.

You’re near the top of the team’s leaderboard in a lot of offensive categories and have a 6-0 record on the mound. How satisfied are you with your performance this spring?

I’m very satisfied right now. It (started) off freshman year, I came in and thought I was pretty good, honestly. We had pretty good shortstops, Andrew Pyle was there, and then after he left, I kind of looked around me and kind of made sure that I’ve got to do something for myself, for the team, and work real hard at it. I quit wrestling so I could be a better baseball player.

What part do you enjoy more – playing shortstop and contributing every day, or the pitching side of things knowing you are unbeaten this year?

I like shortstop more, but when I pitch, I love pitching, because it means that I have control of the game. I control what goes on, I control the pitches. But I love shortstop the most, though. I love making plays and getting the excitement going.

You have two games remaining before the postseason. Do you feel you have the right pieces in place to make a deep run?

Yes we do. We have a very good, solid group. We have six seniors, and then a seventh one joined us this year (who hadn’t played since his freshman year). … Our six seniors have all been playing since we’ve been about 8 or 9, so we’ve got a real good group. And then our younger group – (Chad) Krutz and (Kyle) Swanson and (Kelson) Boyer, they’re doing real well.