Farmington Coach To Be Honored

FARMINGTON — Veteran Farmington softball coach Randy Osnes will be honored Friday during his final regular season game set for a 5 p.m. start against rival Prairie Grove.

Osnes won’t be the only one. He plans to recognize seniors from the 2020 Farmington team, which went 3-0 and was expected to contend for a state championship before the season got canceled due to covid. Those players never got a senior night so Osnes in agreement with Prairie Grove coach Dave Torres, whose 2020 seniors also didn’t get a senior night, will redeem that event one night after competing head-tohead in the final conference game of the 2021 regular season at Prairie Grove. That game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start Thursday.

Farmington hosted Pea Ridge Monday while Prairie Grove entertained Gravette Monday and played host to Clarksville Tuesday.

This year’s seniors will be recognized Friday for both Farmington

and Prairie Grove.

As for the senior night event, Osnes makes no bones about who the opponent should be.

“It’s got to be Prairie Grove,” Osnes said.

During his stint at Farmington Osnes coached 21 conference champions, including a streak from 1998-2014, and 2017-2019; and 13 Regional championships plus led the Lady Cardinals to 23 state tournament appearances.

Osnes has been head coach at Farmington since 1996. He has guided the Lady Cardinals to state championships in 2000, 2005 and 2011, state runner-up finishes in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2018 and 2019, plus 21 conference championships. The Lady Cardinals started 3-0 in 2020 before their season was canceled due to covid-19.

Players coming through his program received multiple honors, including: 19 Arkansas High School Coaches Association All- Stars, 37 All-State players, 127 All-Conference players with 24 players going on to play women’s college softball.

The Arkansas Activities Association High School Sports Record Book mentions Farmington softball for several outstanding accomplishments highlighted by the second-longest streak of conference wins with Osnes at the helm, racking up 63 consecutive conference victories from 20102015. Only Bryant has posted a longer streak.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Farmington softball coach Randy Osnes assesses a game situation by stepping out of the dugout. The veteran coach will retire after the season after compiling a Hall-of-Fame type career with at least three state championships and well over 500 wins.