No matter what the outcome ends up being in today's Class 5A softball state championship game, Benton Coach Heidi Cox is going to feel some type of way after she walks off the Everett Field turf.
Naturally, she'll be flooded with all types of emotions whether her top-ranked Lady Panthers win or lose their showdown with Greene County Tech. But her heart will almost certainly be heavy because of the seniors she will be coaching for the final time.
"I can't even begin to describe how much this senior class means to me and this team," Cox said. "To say I'm super excited about what they've been able to accomplish is an understatement. Just the amount of work that bunch has put into this program. ... They come out and work hard, and that's on top of the fact that they're super talented.
"And this game is a big deal because they'll get to play their last game on their home field in the state championship game. It's kind of crazy."
What's even crazier is the run the Lady Panthers have been on for more than two seasons. Benton (31-0) has won 63 games in a row, with the majority of those contests resulting in blowouts. Twenty-six of the team's 31 victories this season have come at no less than six runs -- a statistic that's eye-popping on any level.
"These girls enjoy the game and are always wanting to get better," Cox said. "Last year, we really didn't think about being undefeated until towards the end of the season when we were like, 'Man, we're going to have to go undefeated because we're in the state tournament now.' This year, we've just kind of gone about our business of just playing ball.
"We take it one game at a time, and the girls have handled that approach very well."
The Lady Panthers, behind the overpowering pitching tandem of senior Elana Scott and junior Alyssa Houston, have allowed a mind-boggling 21 runs on the season. Benton also beat Class 6A state champion Bentonville three times, as well as Class 6A runner-up Cabot. But Cox's bunch has also beaten the team it'll see today, which may or may not bode well for them.
Scott and Houston combined to throw a no-hitter in Benton's 3-0 victory on April 14. The Lady Panthers got eight hits off Lady Eagles' pitcher Karley Burrow, but Cox admitted that the junior kept her team off balance at times.
"I think we got eight hits off her, but she did a really good job in that game," she said. "We left some runners on base and didn't produce the runs that I thought we needed. But she was really good. That entire team over there is good."
Coincidentally, the last time Greene County Tech (27-4-1) lost was in that game against Benton. The Lady Eagles, who also saw their 2021 season end in a 4-0 loss to Benton in the semifinals, have since reeled off 11 wins in a row, including one over Cabot just before state tournament play began.
"It's going to be a dogfight," she said. "The adrenaline will be running for sure, and I'm certainly excited about it. We're expected a lot of fans from both sides in the seats, too. It'll be a good one."