Northern Arkansas College Tabs Stephens For Baseball

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove senior Davis Stephens signed a national letter of intent to play college baseball at Northern Arkansas College at Harrison on Feb. 7, 2022. Davis was accompanied by several family members including his father, Tracy Stephens; his mother, Emily Stephens; and younger brother, Cooper Stephens, now a rising junior, as well as Prairie Grove baseball coach Mitch Cameron.

“I’m super excited, can’t wait to go there, can’t wait to get started,” Stephen said. “I’m just blessed. I get to play the game and stay healthy and keep playing for four more years, hopefully.”

He held hopes that during his senior season the Tigers baseballers could make a run and develop into a championship contender this year. That didn’t happen with a secondround loss at Shiloh Christian after beating Pea Ridge in the district tournament. Nonethe-less Stephens enjoyed his time as a Tiger and counted playing for Coach Mitch Cameron, one of the legends of Prairie Grove sports, as a bonafide privilege.

“It’s been awesome. Never could I have dreamed of something like this playing for Coach Cameron, such a great coach, and I’m really just thankful and appreciative that God put him in my life and I’m blessed with the opportunity to play for him,” Stephens said.

Stephens found inspiration among those at Prairie Grove, and others from outside the community sharpening his skills as an outfielder and at the plate.

“Going in with Coach Cameron, he was one of my big motivators. J.T. Baker with Perfect Timing and everybody in the Perfect Timing system has done a ton to really motivate me and really keep me pushing and keep me grinding into the game. I really appreciate everything everybody’s done in my life that’s helped me get to where I am today,” Stephens said.

In the fall Stephens played football, another sport where he gave a good showing playing for another Prairie Grove sports legend, Coach Danny Abshier.

“Coach Abshier was great. I don’t have a single bad word to say about that man. He was always there for everybody on the team and he was always there for anybody whenever they needed anything ever. Really just a great guy and a great coach and great motivator more than anything,” Stephens said. “There’s not many people that can get you out of bed at 7 a.m. rolling around on wet grass on a summer day to play a little football, but he sure as heck could.”

A Farmington Cardinal, Rhett South, even crashed the joint signing ceremony celebrating Stephens along with classmate, Landon Semrad, taking a football scholarship to Missouri Southern State University.

“Me and Rhett go way back. We were friends growing up and Rhett’s a great guy. I don’t have any bad words to say about him either. I really appreciate him and he’s been a great friend throughout this whole process,” Stephens said.

Stephens recanted memories of the rivalry with Farmington over the years. Beating them his junior year of 2020 in football, 19-7, had another element to the competition with the weather playing a role.

“I never will forget it. Three lightning delays, started the game late. That was one of the best games ever, and we should have beat them last fall, but we’ll come for them this year. Hopefully, we’ll get them this year [2022]. I’m not too worried about it,” Stephens said.

Stephens plans to major in Biology and go for pre med and pre-dental.

”It’s been awesome. Never could I have dreamed of something like this playing for Coach Cameron, such a great coach, and I’m really just thankful and appreciative that God put him in my life and I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to play for him.”

- Davis Stephens, 2022 Prairie Grove graduate