Jacy Finley, Camp Verde High School softball’s sophomore ace pitcher, recorded her first perfect game in a 21-0, five-inning trouncing of Tonopah Valley High School on the road Tuesday, March 20.
Finley struck out most of the batters she faced, too, fanning 11. Having thought the game was over after the fourth inning, the final frame was a bit nerve-wracking.
“It was just kind of another game, my rise balls were working well,” Finley said. “In the fourth inning we thought the game was over, and [Coach Harry Smith] asked me if I knew what I just did, and they ended up going one more inning, so that last inning was a little scary for me.”
Cowboys head coach Henry Smith said the biggest stride Finley has made is in her confidence.
After putting together strong performances at the highly competitive Grace Lee Haught Memorial tournament in Payson from March 15 to 17, at which the team lost in the consolation championship game 4-2 to 6A Rincon/University High School, Smith said Finley finally began to embrace the limelight.
“I think it’s a maturity thing. After going through that tournament and seeing that she is a dominant pitcher and it is OK to be the center of attention, and I think she accepted that role in that tournament,” Smith said. “As the tournament went on she started to gain some attention, and she accepted it and she got excited about it. We go into this [Tonopah] game, and the momentum continued.
“She’s always been a strong-willed kid and a super hard worker, and I think now one thing she was lacking was just a little bit of confidence. After that Payson tournament, it kind of put her over the edge and everything is kind of working for her now.”
Finley, a Second Team All-Conference 2A selection for softball as a freshman, said the Phoenix laid down a couple of bunts that worried her, but her defense backed her up. As the game went on, she said she was aware she was creeping closer to perfection.
Smith said Finley nearly had a perfect game last season, as well, and he expects her to continue improving. Part of that is keeping her healthy, with still two and a half high school seasons before a potentially long college career.
“Being that she is such a dominant player, and I think she has long career in college, [the] potential to take it far into college, that we’ve always governed her work time and just to make sure that she stays healthy,” Smith said. “She’s going to continue to get better. You see a lot of the pitchers that we’re facing. A lot of them work so hard in the offseason that they’re somewhat plateaued through the high school season. Jacy, we have her trained and we don’t have her pitch so much so we can keep her arm healthy, and so by the time high school season comes around she’ll continue to get better throughout the season.”
Finley is the second high school pitcher Smith has had throw a perfect game as Cowboys head coach. The first was his daughter, Taya, who did it twice her senior year in 2016.
Rhoades Resigns
Cowboys head football and golf coach Jerry Rhoades will leave the school and athletic programs at the end of this academic year. The Camp Verde Unified School District Governing Board accepted his letter of resignation at its latest meeting on March 13.
Rhoades’ wife’s business is relocating from the Prescott area to Phoenix. Despite spending just one and a half seasons as head coach, amassing a 3-6 record in 2017, Rhoades said he was happy with what he was able to accomplish.
“I loved it. It’s unfortunate that it’s got to come to an end, but I really enjoyed the kids and hanging out with the kids, and maybe try to help them get on the right path,” Rhoades said. “It’s so much more about character and those types of attributes, not so much football. It’s not all about winning football games.”
Camp Verde Athletic Director Mark Showers said that the head football coach position is open, and interviews have not yet begun.
“He’s one of the guys you get excited about having him, and you hope he stays,” Showers said. “We wish him well because he’s a great guy.”
Rhoades will look to find a physical education teaching position in the Valley, and would consider being an assistant coach.
