OZARK — About 15 minutes after the heartbreak set in, Nixa senior Tanner Grant couldn't help but let out a smile when he thought about the growth of the Eagles baseball program and the bright future it will continue to have.
Making its first semifinal appearance in 1974, Nixa baseball had already achieved history that Friday night's 2-1 Class 6 semifinal loss to Liberty North won't erase. Grant got to see it grow from a respected area program to one that's been consistently regarded as one of the state's best during his last two years in the uniform.