Mansfield High School is a 2023 Casey’s Cash for Classrooms grant recipient. The school will receive $3000.00 to purchase 2 new refrigerators for the classroom kitchens. This project will help students by giving them the resources needed to develop much needed life skills.
“We are grateful to receive a Cash for Classrooms grant from Casey’s and are excited to complete this important work that will improve our students’ ability to learn and grow at Mansfield High School each day,” said Annette Smith, FACS Teacher. “Casey’s is a great community partner that gives back to many schools across its footprint, including ours, through this program.”
Donnie Eveld – Principal -MHS and Annette Smith Family & Consumer Science Teacher
The project is expected to be completed by July 2023.
In addition to the grant program, Casey’s guests can support schools year-round by directing their Casey’s Rewards points toward a donation to their school of choice. Sign up for Casey’s Rewards here.
Traveling across the state, one is amazed by the beauty and what the natural state has to offer. Larger, well-developed metropolitan areas such as Fayetteville, Jonesborough, and the Little Rock area interspersed with smaller towns and rich farmlands serve to remind us that we are far removed from the backward hillbilly image of which we are frequently portrayed. That image, perhaps fomented by some of our earliest historians, has survived somewhat intact to the present time.
Thomas Nuttall, an English born naturalist, visited and chronicled some of the state’s earliest history. The title of Thomas Nuttall’s book; A Journal of Travels into the Arkansas Territory during the year 1819, with occasional Observation of the Manners of the Aborigines suggest that he might not be overly impressed with the people and culture he encountered. Arriving at Arkansas Port, he vividly described the squalor and general backwardness of the inhabitants. His described the village as having 30 or 40 houses and a few stores occupied by poor and improvident people who were proceeding slowly in any efforts of improvement. He went on to say that nature had done so much but the people so little that it was difficult to determine the value and resources of the land. The homes were open galleries, totally unacceptable and destitute of comfort for winter. His description of the population certainly fits the typical hillbilly image; ““It is to be regretted that the widely scattered state of the population in this territory, is but too favorable to the spread of ignorance and barbarism. The means of education are, at present, nearly proscribed, and the rising generation are growing up in mental darkness.”
As he proceeded up the Arkansas river, his perspective did not change. He ran across rough frontiersmen, thieving Indians, and hired a guide who, he discovered later, had murdered a man for his property. At Cadron, present day Conway, he got stuck for days in a poorly constructed tavern where men gambled and drank day and night while cold January winds blew through the many cracks between the log walls. “Every reasonable and rational amusement appeared here to be swallowed up in dram drinking, jockeying, and gambling,” he grumbled as he described the location.
Further up river, he discovered coal layers in the cliffs near Spadra and described some of the beauty of the natural surroundings and created several painting of Nebo Mountain (which he misnamed Magazine, and of Cavanal Mountain near Fort Smith. Encountering ticks, malarial fever, and waring Indian tribes, he eventually journeyed back to England where he composed his widely-read, and generally negative views, of the inhabitants of the state.
Henry Schoolcraft, another journalist and Arkansas visitor stated, “in manners, morals, customs, dress, contempt of labor and hospitality, the state of society is not essentially different from that which exists among the savages.”
Further compounding the states appearance as hillbillies, Sanford Faulkner, supposedly traveling with Archibald Yell, Ambrose Sevier, and perhaps Albert Pike, stumbled across a log cabin occupied by a squatter in the Boston Mountains. From that encounter, the Arkansas Traveler story and song depicting the typical Arkansan became a part of our state lore and image. Arkansas has long struggled with the perception being backward uneducated hillbillies. Although far from perfect, when you travel our state today, you enjoy enough forests, mountains, and streams to appreciate the Natural State while passing the new business and industry that makes us a thriving progressive state.
The River Valley Regional Food Bank, and its 150 nonprofit member agencies, wishes to thank the River Valley community for its support in donating more than 52,000 pounds of food through the recent Stamp Out Hunger food drive.
These contributions will provide more than 40,000 meals to families in need across the Arkansas River Valley.
A special thanks to the National Association of Letter Carriers and the US Postal Service for coordinating the event, ArcBest and Feeding America for their gold-level sponsorship. The food bank would also like to thank silver sponsors, the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and Metal Sales of Fort Smith.
Thank you as well to the bronze sponsor of the event, United Way of Fort Smith. Thank you, River Valley!
As conference tournaments are being played in the SEC and around the country, RNN Sports is looking ahead to the NCAA Baseball Tournament that will conclude with the Men’s College World Series in June!
As of the date of this story, Arkansas appears to be a lock for hosting both a NCAA Regional Tournament and possibly a Super Regional Tournament at Baum-Walker Stadium. To host a Super Regional, the Hogs would have to win their regional tournament.
So, Hogs fans, here is a list of important dates leading up to the NCAA Tournament and the eventual crowning of a national champion in college baseball.
Selection show: Monday, May 29 — airs at noon ET on ESPN2
Regionals: Friday-Monday, June 2-5
Super regionals: Friday-Sunday, June 9-11 or Saturday-Monday, June 10-12
First day of MCWS games: StartFriday, June 16
MCWS finals: Saturday-Monday, June 24-26
Final championship game: Monday, June 26
Each regional tournament will be double-elimination, from June 2-5. Winners of the regional round advance to the super regionals, from June 9-11 or June 10-12.
But first things first! The Hogs play Wednesday at 12 p.m. local time in Hoover, Alabama in the SEC Tournament. The Hogs will play the winner of today’s game between Tennessee and Texas A&M. At publication time, the Volunteers and the Aggies were in a ninth inning rain delay with A&M leading, 3-0.
Note to Our Readers: The interactive NCAA bracket and associated information is courtesy of the NCAA.
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Arkansas pitcher Hagen Smith is a semifinalist for the 2023 Golden Spikes Award.
Smith is one of 25 semifinalists for the award given to the top amateur baseball player in the nation. The Golden Spikes Award will be presented on June 25 at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, leading into game two of the College World Series finals.
The Razorback left-handed pitcher, who was named to the All-SEC First Team, has been used in several capacities this season. Smith began the campaign as Arkansas’ No. 1 starter and transitioned to a “wild card” role at the start of SEC play due to injuries to the pitching staff before settling back into the Hogs’ starting rotation.
For the year, Smith has made 15 appearances with nine starts, including five in SEC play, and boasts an 8-1 record with a team-leading 2.56 ERA and two saves over 63 1/3 innings of work on the mound. The true sophomore, who is also a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award, has struck out a team-high 93 batters and limited opposing hitters to a meager .191 batting average this season.
Smith is the eighth Hog since 2007 to be named a semifinalist for the award. Arkansas outfielder Andrew Benintendi and pitcher Kevin Kopps won both the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy in 2015 and 2021, respectively.
Fan voting will again play a part in the Golden Spikes Award. Fans can vote for their favorite players on GoldenSpikesAward.com beginning on May 22 with the naming of the semifinalists. USA Baseball will announce the finalists for the award on June 7, and fan voting will open at GoldenSpikesAward.com before closing on June 21.
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Arkansas skipper Dave Van Horn has been named the 2023 SEC Coach of the Year.
Van Horn, in his 21st season as head coach, led the Razorbacks to their fourth SEC championship and second in the last three seasons. Arkansas also won its seventh SEC Western Division crown under Van Horn and fourth since 2018.
Van Horn was voted SEC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career, also winning the award in 2004 and 2021 after leading the Hogs to their second and third conference titles, respectively. He is one of three active coaches, along with Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin (3) and Florida’s Kevin O’Sullivan (3), to be named SEC Coach of the Year at least three times.
Four Razorbacks were named to All-SEC teams by the league’s head coaches, led by Hagen Smith’s first-team selection at starting pitcher and All-Defensive honors. Kendall Diggs picked up second-team recognition at designated hitter, while pitcher Gage Wood and outfielder Tavian Josenberger garnered Freshman All-SEC and All-Defensive praise, respectively.
Smith, the Hogs’ first starting pitcher to earn first-team SEC honors since Ryne Stanek in 2013, has been used in several capacities this season. The left-hander began the campaign as Arkansas’ No. 1 starter and transitioned to a “wild card” role at the start of SEC play due to injuries to the pitching staff before settling back into the Hogs’ starting rotation.
For the year, Smith has made 15 appearances with nine starts, including five in SEC play, and boasts an 8-1 record with a team-leading 2.56 ERA and two saves over 63 1/3 innings of work on the mound. The true sophomore, who is also a semifinalist for the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Award, has struck out a team-high 93 batters and limited opposing hitters to a meager .191 batting average this season.
Diggs, the 55th All-SEC honoree in school history, is slashing .314/.451/.566 with 10 home runs and a team-leading 56 RBI through 51 games this year. The true sophomore, who leads all Razorback batters in walks with 41, has racked up 55 hits, including 12 doubles and one triple. During SEC play, Diggs has posted a .291/.437/.495 slash line with three homers and a team-high 33 RBI in 30 league games.
Wood, the 56th All-SEC selection in program history, is 2-0 with a 3.81 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 28 1/3 innings this season. The right-hander leads the Hogs in saves with five, all of which have come in SEC play. Wood is just the fourth Arkansas freshman pitcher since 2003, Van Horn’s first year at Arkansas, to record at least five saves in a season.
Josenberger, the 57th All-SEC selection in Razorback history, earned All-Defensive recognition in the outfield. A converted infielder, he has posted a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 116 total chances as the Hogs’ everyday centerfielder and recorded a team-leading seven outfield assists while helping turn five double plays.
Smith also secured a spot on the SEC All-Defensive Team alongside Josenberger. The Razorbacks’ ace has not committed an error on the mound this season and limited opposing base runners to just two steals all year.
– ArkansasRazorbacks.com || On Twitter @ArkRazorbacks || Facebook.com/ArkansasRazorbacks
Note to Our Readers: The previous story was sourced directly and in its entirety from the University of Arkansas Office of Communications, Oliver Grigg.
It was the first points night of the year and it did not disappoint.
It took a few laps and six Cautions for various incidents for Andy Milliken to make his way to the front and keep it as he drove the #327 Monte Carlo to victory lane in the Medieval Chassis USRA Stock Car class. After a battle for the lead with Alma’s Brandon Hunter a Caution came out bringing the field together. Hunter would take the #1/4 to the pits with an overheating issue. From there it was Milliken, Chad Abernathy out of Mt. Ida, Andy Morris, and Mena’s Bruce Busch in 4th. This was Busch’s first race back at Tri-State since 2009. “Most of the guys racing today don’t know how intimidating it was to see that 92 (Bruce Busch) to roll through the pit gate. They’re fixing to learn it all over again.” Milliken said in a post on Social Media. Bruce Busch was 2001 winner of the Super Stock Showdown at Tri-State.
Andy Milliken RNN Sports Photo
In B-Modified, Cody King would take the win in his Franklin Chassis Modified. King would start on the pole with Hindsville’s Dan Culp to his right. Culp would spin in front of the field and the rest of the racers would miss him. On the ensuing restart Culp, Dody Luu, Jayme McGarrah, and Ty Evans would come together coming to the Green. Those 4 would continue on. The C02 of Caleb Barker would provide some fireworks for those in turns 3 & 4 when his car would get up on two wheels and then head for the wall, bringing out another caution. The 4th caution would come out after the restart when 6 cars would come together as they ran closely. There would be one more caution before Cody King would get the checkered flag. Hackett’s Jacob Campbell would edge out Dalton Ragsdale for second. Christopher Theodore and Kevin Guinn would round out the Top 5.
Cody King RNN Sports Photo
The fastest A feature of the night belonged to USRA Modifieds. Watts, Oklahoma native and Multi-Time United States Modified Touring Series champion Jason Hughes put on a clinic for everyone in the Modified class. Hughes would take the lead from Mike Hansen out of Dickinson, North Dakota on the first lap and it was all Hughes from there. No cautions, no mistakes as the 12JH of Jason Hughes took the checkered flag in the 20 lap feature. Mike Hansen, Jake Davis from Hackett, Trevor Hughes, and Jared Russell out of Wagoner, Oklahoma were the rest of the Top 5. Greenwood Alumni Michael Hines and Jason Payton would finish 6th and 10th on the evening.
Jason Hughes RNN Sports Photo
Talihina driver Tyler Kirkes looked to have the race won, but a cut tire ended his night surrendering the lead to Andrew Bohannon out of Stigler, OK. There would be several cautions that would bring the field together and challenge Bohannon for the lead. Grant Davis, Rocky Cox, Dallas Bourland, and Chad Abernathy are the rest of the Top 5 finishers in Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks presented by PG Roofing.
Andrew Bohannon RNN Sports Photo
The USRA Tuners would be the night cap race Chris Tuck in a Honda Prelude would take the win. With the other 4 racers either not starting the race or disqualified for rules infractions.
Chris Tuck RNN Sports Photo
Memorial Day Weekend Tri-State Speedway will play host to the “A Night To Honor” to honor all past drivers and veterans. 2023 Tri-State took on a different format as the Kegger and points championship nights were to be the two races honoring legendary promoter Cecil Harlin and track founder Tillman Evans respectively. As a way to honor Veterans and all of those that have raced at Mighty Mouse and Tri-State Speedway, owners Michael and Jerri Hoover created the Night to Honor. Allowing whoever wants to make a memorial lap during the playing of the Anthem to do so. All five USRA sanctioned classes will be in action that night.
Jeff Metcalf & Bruce Busch RNN Sports PhotoTyler Drummond, Grant Holman, & Brent Holman RNN Sports PhotoBrandon Hunter RNN Sports Photo53 Tye Hollingsworth, 00 Cason Harris, and 25 Ryan Adams RNN Sports Photo4 Chad Abernathy and 182 Grant Davis RNN Sports Photo
Friday night Greenwood High School held its Graduation in the H.B. Stewart Arena
In an almost complete unison, thousands of phones rang that same heart racing inducing ringtone “TORNADO WARNING”. As the voices grew louder in the Arena, Principal Dr. Joshua Ray stepped up to the mic and said “We are going to take your children inside the school for their safety. Once we have escorted them out you are able to go to the Tornado Shelter.” It was beginning to be a fitting send-off for the last group of students that had their High School lives met with uncertainty due to Covid. Now, Graduation was possibly uncertain.
The parents did not move, see real estate was key at Graduation. Usually the ceremony is held on the Football field and it has more than enough capacity for the over 5,000+ that arrive. The H.B. Stewart Arena holds 2,200, no one was giving up seats. Up until 2020, if graduation was held in the Arena, every single seat would be filled. On Friday night, every seat could have still been filled, but now people are cautious and left seats open between groups.
Principal Dr. Joshua Ray RNN Photo
Before the students arrived back in, Dr. Ray once again came back to microphone and said “Let’s have a Graduation!” The ceremony started nearly on time even with the Tornado delay. Senior class President Rylie Holland gave the Welcome speech. Longtime Greenwood Educator Jo Ella Skaggs gave an entertaining address to the students and to their crowd many of whom she had taught in here 30 year career at Greenwood. This was also Ms. Skaggs’ last year at Greenwood. Senior Madelyn Wilkinson gave the Class Address.
Dr. Ray returned to talk about the educational accomplishments of the class. The 2023 class had 252 Graduates, while smaller than the last few classes there were 38 Distinguished Graduates with a 4.0 and above GPA. 83 Honors Diplomas. 19 Honor Graduates. Of the 252 Graduates there were 139 students that went K-12 at Greenwood, the largest amount so far. 3 students were National Merit Finalists (David Ambriz, Lily Williams, and Lucas Wittig). 52% of the class received scholarships, with $8.44 million offered and $5.86 Million accepted. 137 Students received the Arkansas Challenge Scholarship that is funded by the Arkansas Lottery.
Greenwood is in to the second week of their 3 Week 8 practice schedule.
The pads were popping on practice number 5 and 6, as the rust of the off season started to wear off. Returning to practice this week the players that had been playing baseball and were in the State Tournament the previous week. It was the return of Juniors Brady Pettigrew and Braden Skaggs on defense, and All-State sophomore receiver Grant Karnes. Karnes matched the effort on the diamond by being named All-State in baseball as well for his effort at Pitcher.
Several big catches were made by Junior Noah Chaser and Sophomore Grant Karnes. But the defense stood out during there live situational period of practice. Sophomore Kaylor Jasna had a big pass break up, as well as the defensive line stopping runs from Juniors Brayden Davis and Isaiah Niles. Freshman Running Back Wesley Raggio has been a pleasant surprise this spring getting some good reps behind the experienced Offensive Line.
“Things are going good. One of things we stressed this year is getting more physical as a football team. We’ve opened up a bit more, we do more live. Little bit more physical on the inside, and it’s spread throughout our football team.” Coach Chris Young said after practice.
While most of the talk on several different platforms of the upcoming season will center on the offense and the younger talent, it is the defense that will surprise people this fall. While losing a linebacker like Evan Williams and a Safety in Storm Scherry, it is the returning players that made up the 8-9 other spots that will grab headlines. “You got a lot of guys that can run and are strong, there’s going to be competition for playing time.” Coach Young said about the defense. “There’s five or six really good defensive ends, and only two of those guys will be able to fill those.”
There are two more practices, one on Monday and Tuesday before the this team is unveiled on Thursday May 25th.
The Spring Game will take place at Smith-Robinson Stadium. As the team did last year the opener will be the Jr. High and Freshman squads competing in a 7 on 7 for the skill players and lineman challenge. The upcoming 8th Grade team finished undefeated in their 7th grade season. While the upcoming 9th grade team had an up and down season. The Varsity team will take the field shortly after.
When the records are reviewed, the class of 2023 will go down as one of the most successful athletic groups to have worn a Mansfield uniform. Right now the salve of that distinction offers little relief on the sting of losing a close one. A really close one.
The Riverside Rebels out of Lake City squeezed off a 1 – 0 victory over the Mansfield Lady Tigers in the class 2A state championship softball game on Friday, May 19.
Kynslee Ward plays defense in a tough one run battle versus Riverside in the state finals.
Yes, that one hurt. For all the successes and all the state trophies already accumulated by this year’s Mansfield senior class, this title, the last available title, was the one the group wanted.
Many on the MHS softball roster had already graduated. Six said seniors walked the stage for their high school diploma almost two weeks prior to their final game of any sport. So, this one mattered. It really did.
Lady Tigers meet at the mound celebrating another strikeout served by junior Alyson Edwards.
Heartaches abound on the third base side of Farris Field at the University of Central Arkansas. That’s where Mansfield seniors Brooklyn Adams, Natalie Allison, Serenity Chick, Skylynn Harris, Alayna Turner, and Seven Sanderson joined teammates and coaches to accept the runner-up trophy of a one run decision no one saw coming.
Skylynn Harris takes a bead on a Rebel pitch.
Mansfield’s Lady Tiger softball team was red hot coming into the state championship game versus Riverside. Since March 17, the team had reeled off 24 straight victories and collected conference, district, and regional championships along the way.
Riverside was good but they came into the title match with a blemish. Despite 23 wins against only 4 losses they weren’t even champions of their own 2A-3 conference. East Poinsett County, a team Mansfield dismantled in the state semifinals 14 – 4, held that distinction.
Alyson Edwards sends the heat at the class 2A state softball championship game.
What they did have was pitcher Klaire Womack in the circle. And, she was terrific.
Womack was engaged in a classic pitcher’s duel with Mansfield’s Alyson Edwards. Between the two pitchers, 34 batters were sent back to the dugouts with recorded strikeouts.
Womack registered 18 strikeouts giving up only 2 hits and 2 walks. She was the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Mansfield senior Brooklyn Adams played a big role in the Lady Tigers’ 24 game winning streak this season.
Edwards dished out 16 strikes against only 3 hits given up. Had the game’s outcome swung the other way, she too might have earned the game’s MVP honors. She was that good.
That extra hit was huge. In the top of the sixth inning a bloop single to left field sent Riverside’s Annalee Qualls from third base to home. It proved to be the only run scored in a gut-wrenching seven inning nailbiter.
Brooklyn Adams has a great view of the game from behind the plate as she catches another high heater.
Qualls boarded the bags with a one out single. A pitch that got away moved her to second base. There she waited until Riverside head coach TJ Eakins called for a sacrifice bunt to be laid down.
Kaylee Cox put the bat on the ball to execute a perfect bunt to advance Qualls to third.
“We got a perfect sacrifice down and got the runner over to third,” explained Eakins. “All we needed was the ball put in play and McKenzie (Thomas) came in and got a big hit. That is just what we needed.”
Mansfield softball assistant Kaylie Pyles and head coach Donnie Eveld are shown taking Farris Field on the UCA campus in Conway.
McKenzie Thomas’s hit was the Rebel’s third and final ball put into play. It proved to be the deciding factor.
Mansfield had its best chance to respond in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, junior Kynslee Ward smacked a double to right center giving the Lady Tigers a well needed base runner with hard hitting Edwards up next.
Eakins knew the scouting report on Edwards. He gave Mansfield’s leading home run hitter a free pass to first with the intentional walk.
“I do not think anybody in the ballpark would have pitched to her in that situation,” reviewed Eakins. “If we were going to get beat, it was not going to be by their best hitter.”
Mansfield’s all-time winningest baseball and basketball coach, Bill Frye, was in the audience. He was there to watch the softball playing daughters of many of his former players. His take on the situation went even deeper.
“No doubt, Edwards is a great player,” commented Frye. “You walk her there because she can beat you with one swing. It also triples the chances for the defense to get an out since now you have a forceout on all the bags. He (Eakins) knew what he was doing.”
The strategy worked as the Mansfield pair stood stranded as Womack registered yet another K. In the bottom of the seventh, the MVP pitcher hurled what seemed even harder throws to the plate with the view of their team’s first state championship squarely in sight.
“They just got us out of our game,” said Mansfield head coach Donnie Eveld who had guided his troops to their second state finals in the past three seasons. “We had a great run through the playoffs. Great team and a great group of girls.”
Ward, one of two Lady Tigers to put the ball in play offensively, said she will miss the seniors that have helped her grow up.
“Gonna miss these seniors,” offered Ward. “I’ve grown up with these girls the past six years, some even more. The memories we’ve made, the team bonding, the ups and downs, bus rides, blogs, and most of all the fun practices we’ve had. Sad to see them go but can’t wait for the next chapter in their life to start”
Skylynn Harris, the only other MHS batter to register a hit, did so early in the game. The senior sent a pop up just over the third baseman’s reach. It landed just fair inside the boundary line dropping in front of a charging left fielder.
“Our record was 28 – 4,” reflected Harris on a terrific season. “Ended up conference, district, and regional champs. We just fell short of that state title. We had an amazing season that I will always remember.”
Mansfield just couldn’t get a straight bead through the high strike zone that seemed consistently open during the state finals with Riverside. Bat after bat nicked the underside of the ball sending multiple foul balls directly over the backstop.
Lady Tiger Brooklyn Adams had an up close view of the liberal strike zone. She sat firmly behind the plate as one of the state’s top rated catchers. She also manned the batter’s box as the team’s two hole hitter in the batting order.
“Adams can really throw the ball,” described Frye as he observed the oldest daughter of John Adams, one of Frye’s former Mansfield baseball players. “The whole team looked like a college team during warmups. Very entertaining, very impressive. They looked good.”
Adams was no doubt one of the most engaged players on the field. Her fist pumps were passionate each time battery mate Edwards engineered another strikeout.
You could see what Frye saw as the college bound catcher put plenty of zip on the ball. Just swinging it around the horn, that ball really seemed to pop even as it reached the first glove of an infield celebrating another rung up Rebel.
“Even though I’ve played in multiple state championship games, this one seemed to mean a lot more since it was my last one,” stated Brooklyn Adams. “My nerves and emotions were definitely a little high during this game. I was heartbroken that we couldn’t pull it out.”
Adams, like so many others on the team, has had a strong hand in Mansfield High School’s recent successes. Just this school year alone, the senior class of women athletes won or shared conference championships in every sport. They posted high level state results in every sport as well with no team finishing below fourth place in state competition.
In chronological order, the volleyball team won its third consecutive state title with another unblemished tournament run. The cross country team was third in state after two previous years as state runner-up. Indoor track won its second consecutive state title. The basketball team made it to the state semifinals. They lost to eventual state champion Mt. Vernon-Enola in those final four matchups. The outdoor track team was state runner up sending five players to the Meet of Champs. Then finally, the school’s softball squad brought home the runner-up state trophy for the second time in three years.
“Even though we didn’t win, I realized this season was surreal,” said Adams, showing the maturity of a senior moving on to the next level. “We truly played the best softball that we’ve ever played. We had a 24 game winning streak. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
“Most of all, I’m proud of this team and all the adversity we overcame,” the Carl Albert signee continued. “I’m also proud of the underclassmen that stepped up when we needed them the most. I couldn’t have asked for a better senior season with the best group of girls.”
The sting of losing the last game of the year no doubt hurts. To that, it’s been said that “pain from loss is inevitable, but suffering is optional”. Review the record, this group does not suffer. They reload for another day. When they graduate, they leave a blueprint on how it’s best done for next generations.
