AHS softball: From a pretender to contender
TEXARKANA, Ark. — Arkansas High softball coach Roger Rico knows the Lady Backs play in one of the toughest conferences in the state. OK, the toughest.
The Conference 5A-south includes three-time reigning state champion Benton as well as unbeaten Sheridan, which is expected to be one of the chief contenders for the title.
That doesn’t scare or intimidate the youthful Lady Backs, who had already tied last year’s record for number of victories (10) from last year.
“Everybody knows you’re going to have to beat Benton if you’re going to challenge for the 5A state softball championship,” Rico said. “They’ve won it three straight years are expect to contend this season as well.”
Arkansas High is 10-3 overall and 3-2 in conference. Benton is 5-1 overall and 3-0 in conference. The powerhouse Lady Panthers’ only loss this year was a 6-3 decision to defending 6A champion Bryant.
The Lady Backs, who have only one senior on their 14-player varsity squad, played Benton and fell by a 6-5 score. It was a moral victory because Benton usually pounds the opposition by double digits, as evidence by their 15-0 pounding of Hot Springs.
“Benton barely beat us and we had our chances to win, too,” Rico said. “We had the tying run on third base and we didn’t get her home.
“But the girls played hard against a powerhouse like Benton. It showed me a lot of character from this team.”
Benton and Arkansas High share some history, too. Before becoming head coach at Benton prior to the 2012 season, Heidi Cox spent time at both Arkansas High and Texas High in her home of Texarkana. Coincidentally, Benton’s first softball state championship in 2004 came after defeating Cox, who was an assistant,
and Arkansas High in the state semifinals.
Cox was a standout softball player at Arkansas High in Texarkana and later played for the late Arkansas Sports Hall of Famer Alvy Early at Arkansas-monticello.
Benton fashioned a 67-game win streak that was snapped by, you guessed it, Bryant, 2-0, in March 14, 2023. Benton finished 32-4 last year in clinching its third consecutive state crown. The Lady Panthers, however, graduated seven seniors off that team.
Coach Rico figures Sheridan may be a real threat for state honors. They are 8-0 overall and 2-0 in conference and won’t play Arkansas High until Tuesday, April 2, in Texarkana.
“Sheridan has just about all their starters back this year,” Rico said. “They were tough last year and after a year of experience, they’re even tougher.”
No teams can be overlooked, although there are a few that are struggling.
“We’re not looking past anyone, because if you don’t play well, you can find yourself on the losing end of the game,” Rico said. “We take them one game at a time.”
Arkansas High is predicted to finish “fourth or fifth in conference, but I don’t put a lot of emphasis on preseason polls,” Rico said. “It’s how you finish, not how you begin.”
The Lady Backs play well when ace Macie Lee, a junior left-hander, is in the circle.
“We’re 4-1 when she’s pitching,” Rico said. “She’s a real competitor and she seems to make our whole team play better.”
You don’t have to look far to find the team’s slugger. It’s sophomore Aniya Arnold.
Her stats are out-ofthe-park, so to speak. She’s knocked 7 home runs, 4 triples and is batting .660 from the leadoff position.
“She’s scored in 12 out of our 13 games, so she’s doing an outstanding job from the leadoff spot,” Rico said.
Arnold usually plays one of the outfield positions as does Jaela Coleman, a junior transfer student from Ashdown.
“Jaela has hit 4 homers out of the No. 3 slot,” Rico said.
Palin Nichols, one of 7 freshmen on the team, is catching when she’s not pitching. Savannah Wilder, another freshman, also has played some catcher and second base.
Sophomore Jewel Smart has been playing well at first base and usually bats near the top of the lineup.
Arkansas High has finished with a .500 record the past two seasons, going 12-12 two years ago and 10-10 last year, placing fifth in conference and missing the playoffs by one game. The top four teams qualifying for the state playoffs.
“We didn’t know we would be 10-3 at this point, but we were expecting big things out of this young, but talented team,” Rico said. “Several of these girls have played together in summer ball for years, so they know each other and they like to play for each other.”
The Lady Backs know how to swing the bats and they’ve scored lopsided wins over several teams this year. They beat El Dorado, 10-0, Horatio, 11-1, White Hall, 123, and Prescott, 17-2.
“We’ve got some hitters who have sprayed a lot of hits all across the field,” Rico said. “They know when we need some timely hitting and out younger players are coming around this year.”
With rain and wet grounds causing changes to the schedule, the Lady Backs ended up playing seven games in six days.
“We were 6-1 in those seven games,” Rico said. “We had good hitting, played good defense and had some solid pitching.”
Arkansas High hasn’t reached the playoffs the last five or six years, Rico said.
And being so young can have its up and downs and learning periods.
“We basically play with three freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors and one senior, so that’s pretty young for Class 5A,” Rico said. “But our girls and coaches believe in themselves and believe we can put together a winning team that makes the playoffs.”
Hailey Sherk is the lone senior, Kirstyn Snyder, Taylor Pascarello, Lee and Coleman are juniors, Smart and Arnold are sophomores and Wilder, Kaelynn Smith, Nakeyah David, Nichols, Azariyah Polite, Deniyah Gaines and Kaylynn Drake are freshmen.
Rico said one major changes is the team’s attitude from last year.
“Last year we hoped we would win, but this year our girls expect to win,” the coach said.