Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
MARCUS BROWN
SCHOOL Shiloh Christian
HEIGHT 5-10
CLASS Junior
THE SCOOP Helped the Saints reach the state championship game for the fourth straight season. … Shortstop batted a team-best .430 with 40 hits, 39 runs scored, 3 home runs, 28 RBIs and 3 triples. Struck out just 9 times in 117 plate appearances. Drew 15 walks and was hit-by-pitch 8 times. … As a pitcher was 3-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. … Has verbally committed to the University of Kentucky.
DID YOU KNOW Brown sat out last season after transferring from Springdale Har-Ber. Brown was able to play junior varsity games.
QUOTABLE “When the season started, I was itching to go after sitting out last season. On the first pitch I saw, I hit a double down the line off the wall. I was just ready to get after it. I’d had a good summer and it carried over into the spring.
“It was awesome being part of this team. It was fun to see everything fall into place. I wanted to be a leader for the team and it was fun to take on that role and see the other players follow that lead. Words just can’t describe what it was like to be a part of this team and to make it back to the championship game.”
GRACE BOATRIGHT
SCHOOL Farmington
CLASS Freshman
THE SCOOP Stepped into the starting lineup and the clean-up spot for the Cardinals as a designated hitter. … Belted a walk-off three-run home run on the first pitch to lead the Cardinals to a 5-4 win against Brookland in the Class 4A state semifinals with two outs. … Emerged as one of the brightest young players in the area by batting .387 with 36 hits, 11 home runs, 38 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 3 stolen bases. … Will move to catcher next season as four-year starter Alyssa Reed has graduated. … Plays catcher for the Vision 16U Gold team in the summer and will travel to tournaments in Colorado, South Carolina and Tennessee as well as other regional tournaments.
DID YOU KNOW Boatright plays the trumpet in the Farmington High School band. Boatright, who moved to Farmington from Siloam Springs when she was in the fifth grade, said she chose to play the trumpet because her best friend also played the trumpet.
QUOTABLE “I was a little nervous at first, but I just told myself to calm down and do your thing. When I was able to calm myself down, I was confident. I wasn’t looking to swing at the first pitch. I was trying to be patient, but it looked good so I swung. “I was wanting to be in that position. It was funny because I actually was talking to my dad before the game and we talked about coming to bat with the game on the line. I really wanted it to happen and it did.”