Bears head coach Keith Guttin along with players Jake Burger and Justin Paulsen speak following their final loss of the season in the Super Regionals against TCU. Andrew Jansen/News-Leader
The 2017 sports year in the Ozarks can be described in one word: emotional.
Whether it was through the pain of having a team taken away or the happiness at the bottom of a dogpile in the middle of a rival's home diamond; 2017 saw it all.
Readers connected with these stories throughout the year as they felt the thrill or the agony of each victory or defeat.