Finley guides Bald Knob to perfect season

Bald Knob softball coach Todd Finley won his second consecutive state championship this season. However, this season’s title was one for the record books.

Finley, in his first season as the head coach of the Lady Bulldogs, coached his team to a 36-0 record as they beat Rose Bud 1-0 to win the Class 3A title at Bogle Park in Fayetteville. He also won the Class 2A state title as coach at Spring Hill in 2015.

For his success this season, Finley is the Three Rivers Edition Coach of the Year.

When setting up the schedule, Finley said he consulted his senior class and they wanted to play a challenging schedule, which included Atkins, Vilonia, Fort Smith Southside, White Hall, Cabot, Batesville, Spring Hill and Nashville.

“When we set our schedule, it was with the intention that we were going to play teams who were going to make us better,” Finley said. “At no point did the idea that we’d go undefeated ever come up. We were trying to set it up competitive throughout the year, but we were going to play teams who would challenge us at the highest level.”

Finley said his players were unsure of how good they would be this season as they chased their third consecutive state title.

“They knew we were going to work hard,” he said.

Finley said he didn’t realize how big of an accomplishment it was for his team to go 36-0 until he was visiting with his coaching friends at the sophomore-junior classic recently.

Bald Knob had 27 different opponents; 25 of the 27 qualified for postseason past their district tournaments; 20 of the 25 qualified for state tournaments; six played for state titles and two [Vilonia and Spring Hill] won state titles.

“That is when it sunk in how tough it really was,” Finley said. “We played Concord as a pick up game because of rain out. They played for a state championship. We played both teams in the 2A state championship [Spring Hill and Hector]. We played Rose Bud, obviously, in the 3A. We beat the championship team in 5A [Vilonia]. We beat 6A runner-up Benton.

“When you look at the overall body of work and the fact that 20 of the 27 opponents made their state tournament, that’s pretty impressive.”

Finley said his team was unselfish this season.

“It’s not just for playing time; it’s for everything they do,” he said. “They do want each other to be successful. It’s been a great group of kids. That is why this season has been so special to me. 36-0 is kind of a bonus. To get to work with this group of kids is pretty awesome.”

Autumn Humes, the two-time Three Rivers Edition Player of the Year, said she enjoyed her one season playing for Finley.

“Coach Finley is one of those coaches who is going to do everything in his power to get everything out of you that he can,” Humes said. “I believe he was 100 percent successful with that, working with us this year.

“I believe he is very deserving of the honor. I loved playing for him. I’m just sad that I only got one year with him.”

Finley said leaving Spring Hill to come to Bald Knob was surreal.

“The decision to leave Spring Hill was made prior to the actual softball season,” he said.

Finley said he started looking at other job opportunities with administrative duties.

“I was about at the point where I was ready to take that next step as far as my career goes,” he said. “The position at Bald Knob became available. I went through the application process. The description had the tag of dean of students along with the softball position. So I was really excited about that.”

Finley’s daughter Jaylin graduated from Spring Hill last year; and his son Trey was going into his junior year this year.

“My wife [Lori] and I felt like if I was ever going to make a move that this would be the time,” Finley said. “When they offered me the position, it was right there at the end of the district tournament. We agreed mutually to keep things quiet until the regional tournaments were over.”

Finley said the Spring Hill program is “near and dear” to his heart.

“I needed to do things that were better for my family,” he said.

Prior to the start of the 2015-16 school year, Finley had a meeting with the Bald Knob players and parents.

“I think we had 26 kids sign up for softball and after about three or four weeks, we had cut that down to 19 kids,” he said. “By the time the season started, we had 17 kids.”

One of the first things that Finley did when he got to Bald Knob was introduce his players to the weight room.

“So they were excited about that,” he said. “They were excited about being able to work during the fall on conditioning and strength. To be honest, we never threw as a group. Some of the pitchers would throw over the winter. But as a group. we never went out and took batting practice. It was all about getting stronger and faster.

“I think they bought into that.”

Staff writer Mark Buffalo can be reached at (501) 399-3676 or mbuffalo@arkansasonline.com.

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