By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
Cabot made a sterling debut in high school wrestling this season, earning an overall fifth-place finish at the Class 5-6-7A Arkansas State Wrestling Tournament at the Jack Stephens Center last weekend.
Leading the way were three Panthers who won their weight divisions — Chavin Scales in the 103-pound class, Cody Ealy (125) and L.J. Tarrant (275).
Bentonville won the team event with 284 points, beating out Little Rock Central, Fayetteville and Little Rock Catholic. Cabot scored 156 points.
Searcy, also in its first season of wrestling, finished eighth, while Sylvan Hills, Beebe, North Pulaski and Jacksonville finished 13th through 16th, respectively, in the 19-team event.
Scales beat Jon Reasoner of Russellville, 14-7, while Tarrant pinned the No. 1 seed, Nick Stewart of Bentonville at the 5:10 mark. Ealy pinned Bentonville’s Adam Irons at the 3:15 mark in his title bout.
Dan Willingham of Searcy was narrowly out-pointed, 13-11, in his championship bout in the 135-pound class, while Cabot’s Luis Pena (119) lost in the title match to finish second.
Searcy’s Nate Waldrip (119) earned a third-place finish by scoring a 5-2 decision.
David Day of Beebe (152) pinned Jacksonville’s Zack Finney to take third. Finney earned fourth.
Tate House (130) of Cabot took fourth, losing in the third-place match on a pin. Fellow Panther Seth Bell (145) lost 15-11 in the third-place match to earn fourth.
Patrick Onuigbo (215) of Sylvan Hills took home fifth place with a pin, while teammate Michael Robinson (171) settled for sixth.
Searcy’s E.J. Bailey (160) finished fifth with a pin, while Jake Todd of Cabot (189) and Devonte Mills (103) of Searcy finished sixth.
