Tension ran high on Monday and Tuesday as Kingman knocked off Haven and Maize South on the way to the Regional tournament championship game. In each game, a loss meant the end of the season while a win kept the hopes alive for a trip to State.

As the Eagles warmed up before the championship game, they knew only one team stood in their way of a trip to Salina and arguably the best moment in recent Kingman athletic’s history. However, while the game was neck and neck the whole way, Valley Center pulled away in the last inning, winning 12-6.

As the Hornets recorded the last out of the game, the Kingman dugout was filled with expressions of disbelief and heartache.

“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to go to state,” said senior Aaron Minor. “To see us come so close and have a state birth in our back pocket then taken away right before our eyes is tough. It was some of the worst pain I've ever had to endure.”

Despite the gut-wrenching feeling that lingered after the game as Arensdorf Memorial Stadium emptied, it was a bittersweet sight. The loss was bitter, but the status of the baseball program remains sweet.

Head Coach Toby Munz, who has been with Kingman Baseball since the program began, has led the team to improvement in each season. With just a single win in the program’s first year, Kingman improved to two wins in the next season and four wins last year. This year, Kingman finished with an 11-12 record and one victory short of an appearance at State.

“We've come a long way,” said Munz. “The goal for the seniors when they were playing as freshman was to play more than 5 innings...to come this far to be disappointed with a regional runner-up is a testament to the seniors’ commitment and belief in our program.”

“All six of those seniors were there on day one. Some had cleats, most had played catch before, and if we were real lucky they even had their own glove.”

In less than five years, Kingman went from not having a program to having one of the most feared teams in the AVCTL Div. IV. It is a story of success that will forever be remembered at Kingman High School.