NATIONAL CHAMPIONS - The Rison Xplosion won the ASA 10-and-under National Tournament this past weekend at Fort Smith. Team members and their hometowns include (front row, left to right) Sidney Parker (Fort Smith), Hannah Rhodes (Rison), Macy Ratliff (Rison), Peyton Anderson (Rison), Sydney Keaton (Rison); (center) Halie Jennen (Fort Smith), Mandi Kret (Benton), Payton Palazzi (Rison), Zoie Lunsford (Fort Smith), Lauren Frost (Benton); (back) Coaches Michael Rhodes (Rison), Mark Ratliff (Rison), Matt Keaton (Rison) NOT PICTURED: Coach Mark Cash.
Rison Xplosion Takes ASA National Tourney
RISON - Rison Xplosion went undefeated to win the ASA 10-and-Under Class A National Softball Tournament this past weekend at Fort Smith, marking the second consecutive victory for a Rison-based team.
The Xplosion held off Chix With Stix, the Oklahoma state champions, 13-12, in the title game to lay claim to the championship.
Mark Ratliff of Rison, head coach for the Xplosion, said he put the team together in matter of two weeks, and was surprised at how well they came together in such a short period of time.
He said they practiced for about two-and-a-half hours a days, four days a week over two weeks to prepare for the tournament.
Five of the girls on the team are from Rison, most of whom played in the local softball league. Local players were Macy Ratliff, Sydney Keaton, Peyton Palazzi, Peyton Anderson and Hannah Rhodes.
The 12-team tournament included state champions from Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Oklahoma, as well as other teams from Arkansas.
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