SPRINGDALE -- Har-Ber skipper Randy Osnes' effectiveness as a coach draws out the best, not only from the Lady Wildcats but from opponents, on his way to 600 career wins.
Har-Ber softball players had no idea the kind of tradition they were stepping into while getting on the bus to compete at the 4A Foray Softball Tournament. The tournament featured tough teams from defending Class 4A State champion Gravette, Bentonville West, Hackett, and Lincoln, plus a young, hungry Prairie Grove squad, along with tournament host Farmington going into spring break.
Legacy Overshadows Tourney
Osnes' legacy overshadowed every team in the tournament, which he originally organized and used to be known as the Farmington Invitational. Osnes labored to construct a quality home field at Farmington that involved persuading former athletic director Brad Blew to approve relocating bleachers from the University of Arkansas campus when Ladyback Field was scheduled for demolition in nearby Fayetteville.
That was news to Har-Ber senior Kylie Burris.
"I didn't know about that before, but he sure has mentioned it a lot. He's been talking about it the whole weekend," Burris said during the 4A Foray.
Burris feels good about being on the team that got Osnes his 600th win, with the Lady Wildcats defeating Prairie Grove, the opponent that was Osnes' top rival when he coached Farmington. Har-Ber won 7-1 on Friday, March 15, then added win No. 601 for Osnes by getting past Gravette, 4-1, on Saturday, March 16, in the 4A Foray semifinals.
"He's been a great coach. This is my last year, but I've been so grateful to have him [as coach], and he's amazing," Burris said. "He really pushes us to do our best and makes us the best player we can be, the best teammate we can be, and I'm just so glad that he got that [600th win]."
The only fly in the ointment for Har-Ber became an 8-6 loss to Farmington in the 4A Foray championship game on March 16.
Field Named After Coach
Har-Ber senior pitcher Anniston Reith liked the fact the setting for the milestone achievement was Randy Osnes Field, honoring Osnes' 592 wins, three state championships and five state runner-up finishes among a plethora of history embedded into his 25-year tenure at Farmington.
What's not widely known is after the high school season during the spring of 2012, Osnes helped arrange a travel ball team for Gravette's talented Shyanne Nichols, whom he coached in the All-Star softball game.
"We're helping out the conference," he said.
Reith was beginning to get a picture of how far and wide Osnes' influence stretched when she stepped onto the playing surface at Randy Osnes Field in Farmington.
"It's awesome for it to go full circle like that. I'm really proud of the team and how we've done so far. He's done a good job of coaching us so far," Reith said.
Osnes implemented new wrinkles that the Lady Wildcats weren't accustomed to under previous coaches.
"There's a lot more batting practice. We do get a lot more reps. His kind of values are 'if you work hard, you're going to be successful,' so we do a lot of hard work in practice," Reith said.
Reith knew a little bit about Osnes' success at Farmington, but beyond knowledge of all the logistical details Osnes involved himself in while making his former team one of the top programs in the state, she's more than ready for the same thing to happen at Har-Ber.
"I just know it's really nostalgic for him, so we're out here playing for him, doing our best, and playing for each other," Reith said.
Setting A High Bar
Nearly a month later, one of Osnes' many coaching proteges, Gravette head coach Samantha Luther, who played for him at Farmington, flipped the script with the Lady Lions (11-7, 3-3 4A-1), showing the legendary coach their capabilities.
Osnes has never hesitated to start freshmen, and when the Lady Wildcats took the field in the first meeting, Xiomara Sanchez, a ninth-grader, fulfilled the pivotal role of catcher. The combination of a freshman catcher and a senior pitcher worked well.
"We have a great bond. We're friends on and off the field, so I just trust her, and she trusts me, and we know we're going to get the job done," Reith said.
Sanchez and Zyria Palmer had two hits apiece for Har-Ber in the April 11 game against Gravette.
Reith sees the sky as the limit for the Lady Wildcats this season.
"I think we're a great team and I'm excited to see where we go. We have a lot of great chemistry and, once the bats get rolling, our fielding's great, too, I'll think it'll be a great season," Reith said.
Following his standard operational procedure, Osnes has set the bar high, and the Lady Wildcats aim to shoot for the stars. Har-Ber brought a 16-3 overall mark and 9-1 record in the 6A West into the April 11 nonconference contest.
Gravette Turns The Tables
But this time, things were different.
Luther's a quick learner and had the Lady Lions well-prepared for the rematch. Osnes had a front-row seat from the Har-Ber dugout with the Lady Wildcats hosting Gravette, which exploded offensively in defeating Har-Ber 14-2 on Thursday, April 11.
Laney Chilton belted three home runs, driving in six runs. Keeley Elsea added two hits, including a home run, with six RBIs and three runs scored. Madelin Schoonover also blasted a home run and scored twice. Fleet-foot Brynn Romine scored three runs, and Drew Madison scored two runs for the Lady Lions.
Starting pitcher Brooke Handle scattered seven hits over five innings, yielding two runs and ringing up seven strikeouts for the Lady Lions. Gravette scored three runs in the top of the first to grab the lead right off the bat. The Lady Lions added four runs in the second and built a 7-1 lead.
Gravette kept the pedal to the metal, scoring two more runs in the fourth and five in the fifth on the way to fashioning a 14-2 run-rule victory over the Lady Wildcats.
One of the downsides of Osnes attaining the status of a living legend is that he tends to draw out the best from opponents.
Mark Humphrey is a sports writer for the Enterprise-Leader. He covers the 4A-1 and 3A-1 Conferences. Opinions expressed are those of the author.