Defending state champion Kimble Jennings is back to lead Springdale Har-Ber, which finished third at the Class 7A State Tournament last spring.
Jennings won his last 23 matches to finish 36-13 as a sophomore. He captured the state championship with a 1-0 decision over Austin Dye of Cabot in the 113-pound weight class.
Springdale Har-Ber Schedule
Date^Opponent/Event^Location^Time
Dec. 2^Bentonville/Fayetteville^Bentonville^6 p.m.
Dec. 4^Fort Smith Northside/Fort Smith Southside^Southside^6 p.m.
Dec. 6^Bolivar Invitational^Bolivar, Mo.^9 a.m.
Dec. 9^Mountain Home/Russellville^Mountain Home^4:15 p.m.
Dec. 12-13^NWA Dual Tournament^Har-Ber^4 p.m./9 a.m.
Dec. 18^Neosho, Mo./Joplin, Mo.^Neosho, Mo.^6 p.m.
Dec. 29-30^Diamond State Duals^Har-Ber^9 a.m./9 a.m.
Jan. 10^Seneca Tournament^Seneca, Mo.^9 a.m.
Jan. 13^Greenwood/Van Buren^Greenwood^6 p.m.
Jan. 17^Blue Valley North Tournament^Overland Park, Kan.^9 a.m.
Jan. 20^Berryville/Gentry^Springdale High^6 p.m.
Jan. 23-24^Panther Invitational^Conway^4 p.m./9 a.m.
Jan. 27^Rogers/Rogers Heritage^Har-Ber^6 p.m.
Jan. 30-31^Seneca Invitational^Seneca, Mo.^4 p.m./9 a.m.
Feb. 2^Springdale^Har-Ber (Rotunda)^6:30 p.m.
Feb. 6-7^Dual State^Van Buren^4 p.m./10 a.m.
Feb. 13-14^Big West Tournament^Greenwood^4 p.m./10 p.m.
Feb. 20-21^Class 7A State Meet^Little Rock^1 p.m./9 a.m.
"Kimble ended the year with a 23-match win streak after he dropped from 120 to 113," Har-Ber coach Nika West said. "He got a lot better and did a really good job of being patient on the mat."
Little Rock Catholic scored 255.5 points to win the team championship in Little Rock. Bentonville finished second with 229 points and Har-Ber was third with 208.5 points.
The third-place finish was an improvement over the previous year when the Wildcats finished seven at the state meet in Little Rock.
"Overall, I was pretty pleased with getting third," said West, who led the Wildcats to the state championship in Class 7A in 2012. "That state meet was a real barn-burner with Catholic and Bentonville."
Har-Ber returns five seniors, including Coltin Morgan in the 152-pound weight class. Jennings and Morgan were each named all-state last year.
"Colton is very aggressive and he also understands the concept of being patient," West said of Morgan, who transferred last year from Conway.
West likes the team-first approach of senior Owen Bailey and the potential of Treyton Baker in 195-pound weight class. Other members of the varsity team include Kyle Cole, Blake Benson, Matt Seiter, Milton Ortiz, Tanner Collins, Logan Collins, Grant Thornton, Robert White, Casey Sowerbrower, David Vowell and Eli Espe.
"Owen is vastly improved," West said. "He comes to work every day with a great attitude. Treyton, as a freshman, came in wanting to do his own thing. But once he started listening, a light bulb clicked off in his head and he started to get it."
Har-Ber will begin its season Tuesday at Bentonville against the Tigers and Fayetteville Bulldogs. Har-Ber will host a 16-team Dual Tournament on Dec. 12-13 and the 24-team Diamond State Duals at the Har-Ber gym on Dec. 29-30.
The Wildcats will also compete in top tournaments at Bolivar, Mo., Seneca, Mo., and Overland Park, Kan., before returning to Arkansas-Little Rock for the state meet on Feb. 20-21.
Sports on 12/01/2014