The first day of the Arkansas state high school wrestling tournament wrapped up about how most expected Friday night, with Conway leading the Class 6A-7A team race and Fayetteville not far behind.
The Wampus Cats, who entered as a favorite to win the team title, advanced eight wrestlers to today’s championship semifinals at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock and has two others still wrestling in the consolation rounds with hopes of a third-place finish.
But Conway Coach Ray Sessions said he doesn’t think Friday’s performance, which gave his team a lead of 11.5 points over Fayetteville, will determine which team will be crowned tonight.
Not this early, at least.
“There’s nothing to celebrate,” Sessions said.
Conway will begin today’s rounds - semifinals begin at 9 a.m. - with 166 team points. Fayetteville, which has six wrestlers in today’s semifinals is in second place with 154.5 points.
Little Rock Central is in third place with 123 points, but Coach Shawn Hickey said he doesn’t think anything can happen today to put his team ahead of Conway.
“They’ve got guys at every weight,” Hickey said. “When you can put that many guys on the podium, it’s hard to compete with.”
Conway has a shot at winning more individual titles than any other school in the largest class, but Sessions pointed to Fayetteville having 12 wrestlers still in the tournament as a reason he can’t get too excited.
“You get 16 points for a first-place finish,” Sessions said. “If we have a kid lose early [today] and they have a kid go all the way, there’s 16 points right there.”
Fayetteville Coach Trey Selmon said his team is focused on its performance.
“At the end of the day, if we do what we should be able to do, it should be us [in first place],” Selmon said.
A big victory for Conway was David Fulford beatingSearcy’s Jacob Lambert at 215 pounds. Fulford entered the quarterfinal match having already lost to Lambert last month. But Fulford beat Lambert 13-12 in two overtimes this time.
“I had written that off as a loss when I got the bracket,” Sessions said. “That one really put us ahead.”
In Class 1A-5A, Little Rock Christian has its eye on unseating Gentry, which won the Class 1A-5A team title last year.
The Warriors put eight wrestlers in today’s championship semifinals and finished the day with 141.5 team points. Beebe is in second place with 126 points and Gentry is in third with 125.5.
Results At Jack Stephens Center, Little Rock FRIDAY’S RESULTS CLASS 6A-7A TEAM SCORES 1. Conway ........................................ 166 2. Fayetteville ................................. 154.5 3. Little Rock Central ....................... 123 4. Bentonville ................................ 117.5 5. Rogers Heritage ........................... 116 6. Searcy .......................................... 108 7. Springdale Har-Ber ...................... 106 8. Cabot ........................................... 91.5 9. Little Rock Catholic ..................... 89.5 10. Fort Smith Northside ................... 76 11. Bryant ........................................... 70 12. Fort Smith Southside ................... 70 13. Rogers ...................................... 67.5 14. Russellville ................................... 60 15. Van Buren ................................. 53.5 16. Mountain Home ........................... 43 17. Springdale .................................... 40 18. North Little Rock .......................... 28 19. Jonesboro .................................... 22 20. Benton .............................................8 CLASS 1A-5A TEAM SCORES 1. Little Rock Christian ................. 141.5 2. Beebe ........................................... 126 3. CAC ........................................... 125.5 4. Gentry .......................................... 118 5. Des Arc .......................................... 97 6. North Pulaski .............................. 90.5 7. Oak Grove ...................................... 90 8. Bismarck ..................................... 67.5 9. Mountain View ............................... 54 10. Episcopal ...................................... 45 11. Ark. School for the Blind ............. 44 12. Union Christian ............................ 41 13. Pulaski Academy ......................... 40 14. Academic Plus Charter ............. 36.5 15. Ashdown ...................................... 36 16. Berryville ................................... 34.5 17. Glen Rose .................................... 22 18. Riverview ..................................... 15 19. Hughes ......................................... 10 20. Robinson ........................................8
Sports, Pages 20 on 02/26/2011