Dutton refl ects on 1st season; looks forward to growth

It was a year of change for the Kingfisher High School softball program and one that its coach hopes is just the beginning of the growth.

It was a team with a new coach, new turf, a new baby (see Page 1) and a mostly- new lineup.

The “new” Lady Jackets were knocked out of the Class 4A playoffs just over a week ago when they were defeated 6-0 by Dickson in a regional tournament.

The season saw KHS finish with a 14-17 record.

The team was 3-9 in District 4A-1 games, placing it sixth out of seven teams.

“Overall, I feel like this group of girls went out and competed well through the season,” said coach Morgan Dutton. “There was growth as a team and individually.”

Dutton was an assistant on the 2021 high school team and the head junior high coach, but she and her husband moved to northwest Arkansas during the 2022-23 school year.

They returned to Kingfisher after Dutton was hired prior to this school year to take over the program.

She inherited a team with which she was quite familiar.

Dutton coached several of this year’s freshmen and sophomores when they were seventh and eighth graders two years ago.

Those two classes just so happen to take up a bulk of her team.

Though packed with talent and potential, the group also let inexperience play a role at other times.

“As a young group, we had several games where our youth showed,” Dutton said. “This group has to learn how to play when it was expected that they win.”

In one case, KHS beat Chisholm 14-2 in their first matchup of the season. When the teams played again two weeks later, the Lady Longhorns pulled off a 6-5 victory.

Clinton won five times this season. Two of those wins were against KHS.

One area Dutton wants - and expects - to see improvement is at the plate.

As a team, KHS batted .238 on the season.

Of the regulars in the lineup, only Kinley Taylor (.349) and Kinley East (.300) hit at .300 or better.

The Lady Jackets drew 73 walks (and were also hit 26 times), but struck out 151 times.

“I would like to see growth in our confidence at the plate,” Dutton said. “These girls have tons of talent and potential and that will really start to show when that confidence portion gets there.

“More mental toughness and just a competitor’s mentality will help push them to their full potential.”

From Sept. 2 through Sept. 12, the team lost six of seven games. Every loss was by either one or two runs.

The Lady Jackets followed that up by winning four of six to close out the regular season.

“I felt like the girls really stepped up when I challenged them,” Dutton said. “They finished out the season fighting and that’s all I can ask of them.”

As the season has come to an end, Dutton can’t help but look forward to 2024 as every player on the KHS roster will return.

“I’m super proud of how this group battled and the steps they took to get the program going in the right direction,” Dutton said.

“I think these girls have the talent to get it done. As they mature mentally and physically, it will make a huge difference and you’ll see the payoff.”