FARMINGTON -- Genuine acts of sportsmanship played out over the final weeks of the local high school girls softball season involving west Washington County teams: Farmington, Lincoln and Prairie Grove.
Farmington vs. Prairie Grove
Farmington clobbered U.S. 62 rival, Prairie Grove, 12-0, in a five-inning softball game on April 21. After scoring 7 runs in the first inning, Farmington never looked back in handing the Lady Tigers a loss. After the game, Farmington head coach Randy Osnes empathized with the plight of a Prairie Grove team with a roster made up mostly of underclassmen.
"I think they've only got two seniors. We've been in that situation before," Osnes said, adding, "At no time did I ever feel like they ever gave up. That's a testament to Coach Beck. When you go over there [to Prairie Grove], the facilities are looking great and being taken care of.
Like a good neighbor Farmington loaned their softball field enabling Prairie Grove to host a 4A-1 Conference game against Gentry at Lady Cardinal Park on April 15 and Osnes candidly admitted his relationship with Beck was a big factor in agreeing to the request.
"I wouldn't have done that for just anybody, if I didn't think they were trying to get better with their program," Osnes said. "No doubt, I have great respect for Coach Beck."
When Beck first arrived at Prairie Grove, coming from Oklahoma, he called Osnes and the two spent a couple of hours riding around in a golf cart discussing 4A-1 softball.
"He just wanted to know about this conference and the teams and that was even before he was [officially] hired. The school board hadn't approved his hiring yet but he got in here from day one. We had a great talk and that spoke volumes to me. He's somebody not just drawing a check, he 's out there working."
"They [Farmington] had a tarp and Coach Osnes was nice enough to let us come over there and play," Beck said. "They [Farmington] practiced on it and then they let us play on it. It was courteous of them to allow us to get that game in."
"I don't think it was odd. Being a conference game, you've got to do everything to get these games in," said Gentry coach Lance Nation. "I'm just thankful Farmington was gracious enough to let us use their field. I think any team would be glad to play on a field like Farmington's got."
Lincoln vs. Gentry
At the end of the junior varsity game on April 16, Lincoln voluntarily gave up an in-the-park home run to Gentry junior Mekalah Ramsey, who has Down syndrome. Among her physical challenges are hip dysplasia meaning her hips are not formed right which her mother Melinda Ramsey says makes it a little bit more difficult for her to walk and run. Mekalah is legally blind in one eye and doesn't see well out of the other.
According to Melinda, she and her husband, Daniel, who is Gentry's defensive coordinator and head junior high football coach, just wanted Mekalah to be a part of the team and expected her to sit on the bench. Gentry players had other ideas however, and, along with Nation have established a tradition of ending each game with Mekalah batting.
Lincoln head coach Karen Coleman, who retired at the end of the season, agreed and the Lady Wolves helped make Mekalah's dream come true.
"It's so sweet and I'm so glad they wanted to do that. I'm glad our girls got to be a part of that sportsmanship," said Lincoln assistant coach Megan Jobe.
"We always try to promote sportsmanship," Coleman said. "When we played Gentry, I'm all about winning. I think it's very important, but the way you treat people that's what life's all about."
Sports on 07/01/2015