BENTONVILLE (KFSM) - Bentonville baseball coach Todd Abbot can laugh now about the days following his 2015 state title.
"Man i wanted to punch him, right? That was kind of tough."
But that's not what you expect to hear when a coach reminisces about a championship. 2015 though, was anything but a normal state title run for the Bentonville Tigers, as Abbott remembers.
"We go through that run, we win a state championship and the emotions are so high, and then curt pulls us in and wants to have a conversation."
Assistant coach Curt Yarrington had been diagnosed with prostate cancer during the season, but didn't tell them team until after the championship.
"Didn't want to ruin the mojo at the time cause we were on a good roll."
Now cancer free, Yarrington has looked for a way to give back, creating the annual Prostate Awareness Challenge Game between Bentonville and Bentonville West, where he now works as the golf coach. On Monday night, the teams faced off for the third year of the event, and, as always, Yarrington was there smiling.
"These kids all have dads and grandpas and uncles, so they can get that word out to them and have them get tested."
Bentonville won 7-1, and have now taken home the trophy all three years. But the final score felt secondary on Monday night.
"Just maybe if it reaches one person it will be worth it, so anything we can do to help him make awareness of this is always a good thing," says West head coach Chip Durham.
Abbott has high hopes for the future.
"You know, to be able to support this like this, i hope that it grow and grows and becomes a massive event in years to come."