Southside baseball makes first Arkansas high school state tournament since 2017
Taped to the inside of the Southside baseball press box door is a preseason release that had them outside the Arkansas high school top 25 and finishing with an 8-14 in-state record.
Written on the printout in black marker were the only words the Mavericks needed to exceed expectations this season: Prove Them Wrong.
Southside clinched its first Arkansas high school baseball state tournament appearance since 2017 earlier this week with a win over Springdale and completed the sweep Friday with a 3-2 win. Southside improved to 18-11 and will finish as a top-four seed in the Class 6A West.
“We had more motivation since we didn’t make it (the state tournament) last year and so we put a lot of work in in the offseason and we came out and we won the games that we needed to and now, we’re heading to the state tournament,” senior Luke Wyatt said.
While others didn’t think as think as highly of the Mavs entering the campaign, the team itself and its coach had different expectations.
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Southside went 9-13 last season and hadn’t made the state tournament since 2017. Looking more deeply, the 2021 team suffered three season-ending injuries and had inconsistencies that this year were overcome with intangibles.
“I think growing up together, I mean, we didn’t always play on the same team, we always played against each other, but starting off when we were together, we’ve always been friends,” senior Kent Carlisle said. “I talk to all 10 seniors every day and haven’t missed a day since I’ve been at Southside and I think that’s the biggest thing with us.”
Wyatt said that the group “hit the weights pretty hard” and did more offseason intersquads and took them more seriously.
Teams from years past, including last year’s club, couldn’t overcome when circumstances arose, but camaraderie and leadership overcame.
The 18 wins matched the 2015 mark that came a year before coach Dale Harpenau took over.
“I’ve been playing on the varsity squad for four years and never reached this point in the season,” Carlisle said. “I think it’s huge for us.
"All of the seniors, I’ve played with them since I was six years old and just coming up and growing up and us all staying in Fort Smith and playing together, I think this really shows how you can develop and grow up together and become a good team whenever you finally get into high school and compete.
“I think that we’re going to make some noise in the state playoffs and I truly believe that and there is nothing that is going to keep me from thinking that.”
You can follow Bryant Roche on Twitter @BRocheSports and you can email him at BRoche@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Southside baseball makes Arkansas state tournament, first since 2017
