Northwood toddler gives perspective on Falcon’s LHSAA loss; Benton punches ticket to semis
Archer Alexander stood at the precipice of small mudhole behind the Northwood baseball dugout Friday night contemplating his next move.
For a toddler not yet 2-years-old, he moved his toes deftly in and out of the sludge, but eventually stepped into the indentation and slopped the mess from his toes to the top of his flaming red hair.
The son of Falcons baseball coach Austin Alexander, closely monitored by mom Amber, was oblivious to what was happening with his dad’s team, which was trying to fight off pesky Acadiana. The Rams had eliminated Captain Shreve the previous weekend in the LHSAA Select Division I baseball playoffs and felt the Falcons were ripe for the picking.
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Thanks to a pair of monstrous home runs by Acadiana left fielder Kanyon Griffin, along with the Griffins inability to get a key hit thus leaving 10 runners stranded, the Rams pulled off a 6-1 game-one win. The Falcons bounced back at midday Saturday with a 5-1 victory behind a spectacular pitching performance by Jaxon Bentzler. The fun and momentum were short-lived, however, as Acadiana took the series Saturday afternoon with a 10-4 victory.
Except for a couple of exceptions, that loss signaled a forgettable weekend for Northwest Louisiana baseball teams that had sights set on advancing to the LHSAA semifinals next week at Sulphur’s McMurry Park. North DeSoto, Minden, Evangel, Calvary, Red River, Lakeside and Stanley all saw their seasons come to a close.
As the last team playing on Saturday, Benton offered some positive news when the Tigers outlasted favored St. Amant 1-0 in game three to advance in LHSAA Non-Select Division I.
“I’m proud for these kids,” Benton coach Dane Peavy said. “They’ve persevered all year and realizing that their hard work is paying off is what makes coaching fun. To see the smiles on these kids’ faces and pure elation of hard work rewarded is worth all the late nights and early mornings we have as coaches.”
Glenbrook earlier advanced in LHSAA Select Division IV with a 4-2 win over Ouachita Christian and plays Covenant Christian at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
It may have been the most disappointing day in the area’s baseball history. But try finding a sympathetic ear from Archer Alexander, who was more concerned with climbing a metal banister void of footholds, looking for something to eat and kicking a ball that the bigger kids were knocking around behind the dugout.
If there is perspective to be learned from winning and losing baseball games, Archer just may be emblematic of it.
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Northwood toddler offers perspective; Benton punches ticket to semis
