NOXON - Success is not always defined by wins or losses. Sometimes the victory is in fighting the fight, and coming out on the other side the better for it.

Defining their success by the amount of improvement they have made along the way this spring, coach Lucas MacArthur and his Noxon Red Devil baseball team completed season play hosting Eureka May 21.

The visiting Eureka Lions, behind the lights-out, no-hit fireball pitching of Rowan Burrow and a big offensive outburst in the third inning, moved to a 15-0 win in three innings. Since the Lions did not qualify for the State A playoffs, Eureka’s season also ended in Noxon Thursday.

MacArthur and his Devils complete season play with a 2-12 record (3-14 overall) in the Northern A division, competing against the likes of schools like Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Libby, to name a few.

“The Whitefish coach was telling me they have 31 players on their roster and I told him Noxon has 38 kids in the entire high school,” MacArthur said. “That demonstrates what we are up against right now with the numbers.

“We have kids that want to play, just not as many of them obviously,” he added.

MacArthur said the feedback from other conference coaches and teams has been positive, and understanding of the situation.

“They see what we are up against, it is what it is as far as the numbers go,” MacArthur said. “To us it’s not so much about wins and losses as it is about growth, and these kids did a lot of growing this year. We consider it a successful season, will build on it, hopefully get some more kids on board next year and go from there.”

Those Red Devils MacArthur speaks so fondly of all deserve one more mention for a season well played.

Dallas Weaver, Eli Sly, Zach Sears, Peyton Chambers, Sheldon Frank, Justice Kayser, Jesse Buchanan, Shane Hatchel, Michael Kosekla, Josh Ekberg, Riley Reum, Tyler Barton,

Laendyn Willis-Buckner and Brayden Reum played for Noxon, actually a combination of players from most parts of Sanders County, all the way from Heron to Plains and all points in between, this season.

Kevin Duffy and Ian Brown served as assistant coaches for the Devils.

MacArthur said Weaver, Sly, Frank, Chambers, Kayser and Buchanan are the team’s seniors and will all be missed next year. “We expect pick up a few more players,” he said, “and keep on trying to build the program.”

    PLAY AT SECOND BASE – Red Devil second basemen Michael Koskela of Thompson Falls looks to catch a throw and apply the tag to a Eureka baserunner in Noxon May 21. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)