SPRINGDALE — Springdale Har-Ber is the defending champion in Class 7A/6A wrestling, but that’s not enough for an aspiring Wildcats’ program.
Har-Ber has put together a schedule that reaches beyond the Arkansas border, where high school wrestling is still in its infancy. Har-Ber will compete in tournaments in Oklahoma and Missouri and host the second annual Wildcat Invitational that will include top competition from neighboring states. The 18-team Wildcat Invitational on Jan. 4-5 will feature Southlake Carroll, Texas and Edmond, Okla. in addition to two teams from Missouri and one from Tennessee.
“We’re not going to shy away from anyone,” Har-Ber coach Nika West said. “We’ve made some strides with high school wrestling in Arkansas, but we’re still behind our neighboring states like
Oklahoma and Missouri. Our Wildcat Invitational will be an opportunity to compete and learn against some of the best wrestlers in the region.”
Har-Ber won the Class 7A /6A state championship with 331 points last season after advancing six wrestlers into the finals. Little Rock Central finished second with 274 points, followed by Rogers 246, Cabot 232, Bryant 199.5, Little Rock Catholic 189, and Fayetteville 187. 5.
“We’ll have a target on our back after winning the state championship,” said West, who will begin his third season at Har-Ber. “Our expectations are always very high and we should again be very competitive this season. The question is can we be competitive when it counts?”
Har-Ber lost two state champions from last season after Ryan Harrison (182 pounds) graduated and freshman Joey Adams (106 pounds) transferred to Springdale High. But the Wildcats return two state runners-up in seniors
Nick Smith (195 pounds) and Ty Harrison (heavyweight), a starting center on the Har-Ber football team.
Harrison begins the year with a 52-8 record as a wrestler, while Smith is 45-4 overall.
“I’ve watched Ty grow into a good wrestler who now holds the school record for most wins,” West said. “Nick trans- ferred from Poteau (Okla.) as a sophomore and he’s a smart kid who makes A’s and B’s and he has a 3.0 grade point average. He’s always been a leader, but he’s become more of a vocal leader now, which is good.”
Har-Ber, which finished second to Bentonville in the 7A-West Tournament last season, expects Rogers and Cabot to be the biggest chal- lengers to its state title this year.