Van Buren takes aim at 2nd title
BENTON — The buzz that’s been permeating around the Van Buren baseball program this week is one that’s all-too-familiar for Coach Luke Weatherford.
“Everybody is excited about what’s going on,” he said. “Everyone is looking forward to [today]. And when I say everyone, I do mean everyone around
Van Buren.
“It’s just a really, really good feeling for all of us right now.”
The Pointers have given their supporters plenty of reasons to have positive vibes.
Van Buren (26-5) has a chance to pick up a second straight Class 5A state title today at the Benton Athletic Complex when it battles Marion (29-5) in front of what is expected to be one of the biggest crowds of the weekend.
That is, if Mother Nature cooperates.
There is a chance of rain in the forecast according to the National Weather Service, but not even a shot of precipitation can dampen what Weatherford called an “prime opportunity.”
The Pointers broke through with their first title a year ago, when they romped past Jonesboro 12-1. Now they’ve got a chance to do it again on the same field, albeit against a different opponent from the 5A-East Conference.
Marion, which last played for a state title in 2014, is playing perhaps its best baseball of the season. The Patriots haven’t lost in more than two months and are on a 16-game winning streak. Over the past six games, Marion has outscored its opponents 38-0.
“Oh man, watching Marion, immediately you see that they’re athletic,” Weatherford said. “There’s no holes on that team. They’ve got good pitching, they’re good on defense, have guys that can swing the bat, their middle infielders are good, the outfielders, the catcher. … They literally have the complete team, and that’s not just coach-speak.
“We ran into them last year during the state tournament, and they got up on us 3-0. We were fortunate enough to come back on them, but I thought last year, when I looked back on the season at the end, that they were one of the best teams. It’s no different this year.”
Marion senior Chase Armstrong, an Arkansas State University signee, is expected to get the nod on the mound seven days after a complete-game shutout in the semifinals against longtime power Sheridan. Getting to the right-hander is a must if Van Buren is going to bring another championship back to Crawford County.
However, the Pointers haven’t given their coach any reason to think they won’t get the job done.
Weatherford explained that earlier in the season, he was riding his team fairly hard because he didn’t feel they were playing their best. Stranding runners, making errors and undisciplined hitting were just a few of issues he felt was plaguing the Pointers despite the fact that they were still winning games.
“It kind of felt like after every game, I was giving the same speech,” Weatherford said. “I was happy about the win, but we had to play better. Finally, what I figured out was that in spite of everything, they were going to still find a way to win the game.
“It’s going to look different, and it’s not always going to be pretty. But when it comes down to it, they’re going to find a way to win. So I just finally backed off them about halfway through the year, and let them take off.”
That strategy apparently paid dividends. The Pointers, led by sturdy pitching from Eli Gilreath and Devin Gattis, have won 12 of their past 13 games, and Weatherford said he feels good about the way his team is approaching their season finale.
“They guys are super excited,” he said. “They’re really confident right now and feel like they can beat anybody. That’s what kind of been different about this group. They’re super competitive and believe in each other.
“We don’t have the bigtime arms or the big-time guys that are throwing 90 [mph] and going to be programs. This group is just a competitive group that truly believes in their teammates.”