With friendly rivals in opposing dugout, Nixa shortstop Gardner relishing District final

Nixa shortstop Phoebe Gardner has doubled as a very interested spectator during Class 5 District 6 play this week at Nixa and Springfield Central.

Long after the Lady Eagles’ first-round win that began at 1 p.m. Tuesday, she was still in uniform and in attendance for the remainder of the afternoon and well into the night for the following three opening-round contests.

Gardner was able to check in on former club ball teammates from Ozark, Republic, Carthage, Glendale and Kickapoo. When Nixa and Ozark face off in Saturday’s 4 p.m. title tilt, Gardner will be matched up against former club ball teammates in Savannah Hughes, Abby Ford and Kenna Mayfield.

She wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I love when I’m playing against my friends,” Gardner said. “It’s so fun to know the other team. It brings a lot more excitement and energy.”

She hopes it brings out her best.

“I definitely don’t ever want my friends to beat me,” said Gardner, who leads Nixa with a .490 batting average, 47 hits, 17 doubles and 35 RBIs. “I’m always way more competitive when I know the girls on the other team.”

Likewise, the District played out the way Nixa coach Matt Walker hoped it would in regard to the title tilt being an all-COC affair. Kickapoo had won the District championship the past two years. Nixa and Ozark last met for a District championship three years ago.

“I like seeing it as all-COC game,” Walker said. “We like to think of our conference as being one of the best in the state.”

Ozark pitcher Jordyn Foley is glad to have a Nixa-Ozark rematch, after the Lady Eagles took the teams’ regular-season meeting by a 4-2 count last month.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to have payback,” Foley said.