Bentonville Wrestlers Off To Strong Start

The Bentonville Tigers have had plenty of success to start the season, despite having a few wrestlers get a late start because of football.

Bentonville is off to a 14-1 start in dual matches and won the NWA Duals Tournament last weekend.

The Tigers rolled up a lead midway through the finals and held off host Springdale Har-Ber 45-36, but needed a big effort from junior heavyweight Jared Conover just to make the finals.

Bentonville trailed Little Rock Catholic 38-34 going into the final match of the semifinal dual and needed the six points for a pinfall to advance. A simple win by decision would be worth just three points and leave the Tigers a point short.

The junior, who helped the Tigers’ football team advance to the Class 7A state finals, led the match 2-1 after one period, but got the pin in the second period to help his team advance.

“We needed a pin to win and he went out and got it,” Bentonville coach Bill Desler said. “They all did well. We’ve got a couple weak spots we’ll work on.”

Conover was one of six Tigers to go 5-0 in the tournament and one of three making their season debuts, after coming out late from football. He also earned a big 4-1 win over Har-Ber’s Ty Harrison, the defending 6A-7A state runnerup, in the final. Conover was fifth at the state tournament last year.

Sophomore Aaron Grigsby (120) is off to an impressive start with 15-0 record, including 12 by pin. Only one of his matches has gone the full three periods this season. Senior Kylen Larsen, the defending state runnerup at 182, is 14-1 and got the pinfall win to seal the Har-Ber dual.

No Letdown For Wildcats

Har-Ber coach Nika West lost 10 of 14 starters from a year ago, but his Wildcats are still off to a solid start.

Har-Ber edged Rogers Heritage 42-37 in the NWA Duals semifinals, before losing to Bentonville.

Seniors Nick Smith (195) and Ty Harrison have formed a solid 1-2 punch in the lineup, but freshmen Kimble Jennings (106) and Trayton Baker (220) are also off to good starts.

“Considering we lost 10 starters, I think we did pretty well,” West said. “We’re starting to see some kids step up and understand the sport some.”

Smith and Harrison came up with key pinfall victories, which were the difference in the win over Heritage, West said.

Harrison also won his weight class at a tournament at Little Rock Central two week ago, while Smith, Jennings and Baker all took third.

Penny Shines For Heritage

Rogers Heritage senior Cole Penny just missed out on a medal at the state meet a year ago, but he’s off to an 11-0 start this season.

That’s no surprise to War Eagles coach Doug Freeman.

“Oh no, he’s one of those guys I told you about that should have medaled and just didn’t quite get it done.,” Freeman said. “He’s worked hard and busted his tail. I’m not shocked at all that he’s doing well.”

The War Eagles finished fourth at the NWA Duals over the weekend, losing to Har-Ber in a tight semifinal match and then falling to Little Rock Catholic in the third-place match.

Freeman said the bonus points were the key in the loss to Har-Ber.

“We each won about the same number of matches, but they got more pins,” Freeman said.

Defending state champion Logan Evans (138) is also unbeaten. None of his 11 matches have gone the full three periods.

Mulcahy Steady For Mounties

Rogers High’s Nick Mulcahy had trouble with consistency a year ago, but that hasn’t been the case thus far this season.

The senior has dominated the competition at 152 pounds with a 17-0 record and only three matches have gone the full three periods.

“Last year he was kind of up and down, but he’s a good hard-working kid,” Rogers coach Ken Simmons said. “So yeah, it’s a pleasant surprise for him to have a goose egg on the end there.

“He had some good wins, beat a kid from Oklahoma, beat the (Jeff) Bizzle kid from Bentonville and the kid from (Little Rock) Catholic 2-1 in his only close match really.”

Edwin Santos has also been strong at 182, going 16-1, including a nice 14-10 win over Bentonville’ Kylen Larsen.