FARMINGTON -- Brooke Larkin has let her play do most of the talking throughout her softball career at Farmington.
But with the Lady Cardinals in the middle of season filled with new challenges, the senior infielder knew the time had come to step up and be a vocal leader.
Profile
Brooke Larkin
School: Farmington
Class: Senior
Position: Second base
Notable: Four-time all-conference and two-time all-state selection. … Leads team with .474 batting average and 46 hits, along with 27 RBIs, 24 runs scored and just four strikeouts. … Committed just two fielding errors. … Scored a 31 on her ACT. … Plans to attend University of Arkansas.
"I've enjoyed being a senior," Larkin said. "I'm definitely someone who's more on the quiet side, who leads more by example. This year I've had step up and talk more, so that's definitely been a challenge. But it's a good challenge and it was something I needed to work on.
"I'm definitely talking more, getting after the team more and it's been good for me."
Larkin and her Farmington teammates needed a strong voice alongside veteran coach Randy Osnes to lead them into 5A-West Conference play this spring. After years of dominating the 4A-1 Conference, the move up to the 5A wasn't easy. But a third-place finish in conference proved that the Lady Cardinals were ready to take on the stronger competition.
"The kids have handled it well, probably better than the coaches," Osnes said. "The travel doesn't bother them and they've adjusted well.
"That's the difference we've had this year from year's past, is running down to Little Rock or someplace else to play a doubleheader. But the kids have handled it and I like the way we're playing right now."
Larkin has always played at a high level. A four-year player in the program, it would be hard to tell that the jump to 5A affected her. In 30 games, Larkin has a team-best .474 batting average with 27 RBIs, 24 runs scored and just four strikeouts while committing just two errors in the field.
"She's always been a quiet leader and lets her play speak for itself," Osnes said. "This year more than in the past she's stepped up and had to explain some things to other people.
"I just think what she's done will definitely carry on for year's because she has been here and you see what she's done over a length of time."
Larkin, who plans to hang up her spikes following high school to focus on academics at the University of Arkansas, is a four-time all-conference and two-time all-state selection. In her career she's helped the Lady Cardinals to three conference championships and three state tournaments. But even with all that under her belt, she believes it's a mistake if people overlook this year's team in the Class 5A state tournament.
Farmington faces 5A-South No. 2 seed White Hall in the first round at 12:30 p.m. today at Hot Springs Lakeside.
"I think the goals are exactly the same," Larkin said. "We still expect to win and our goal is to get to the state championship and win.
"It's a bigger conference now but we've been doing just fine against 5A teams, and right now everybody on the team wants to win."
Class 4A
Gravette's motto this season could have been the road to redemption. It could also have been the road to recovery.
One of the top softball program in the area was forced to watch the state tournament from home last season when a seemingly endless string of injuries decimated the team.
Gravette lost star pitcher Lindsee LaBrecque, its center fielder and shortstop all to injuries during the season. The result was an uncharacteristic early end to the season.
"It was the year of injuries for sure," coach Taos Jones said. "It just didn't go our way. This year has been a little redemption. We belonged here and it just didn't work out for us. That's just the way it is."
The Lady Lions won the 4A-1 Conference and rolled to the 4A-North Regional title game before being one-hit by Pottsville on Tuesday. Gravette will be the No. 2 seed at the state tournament today in Mena, where it will take on Nashville at 5:30 p.m. in a first round game.
LaBrecque returned to the pitching circle this season, and the Lady Lions (17-9) have also gotten huge production from shortstop Jaye Chalk and others.
Pea Ridge is also headed to the state tournament as the No. 4 seed from the 4A-North. The Lady Blackhawks fell 2-0 t0 Dardanelle on Tuesday, and will take on Heber Springs at 3 p.m. today.
Sports on 05/14/2015