By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Cabot’s success in golf is still paying dividends with the recent signing of senior Parker Pearson to Delta State University.
Pearson signed in front of his family, friends and coaches at the Cabot High School Media Center on Thursday, following a senior season in which he shot an average 72.6 in tournament play.
His senior year was a success, but it was the two state-championship winning teams in 2009 and 2010 that put Pearson and his teammates on the map.
“Parker, for the last three years, has been an integral part of our golf program,” Panthers golf coach Ronnie Tollett said. “He’s been one of our top-six kids, even with the group we had when he was younger. He’s not only followed in their footsteps, he became the same type of leader as the seniors the year before were.”
Delta State is in Cleveland, Miss., and has a young golf roster with four freshmen making up half the total personnel for Statesmen coach Sam Dunning.
Pearson also qualified for the Optimist International Golf Championship in Florida, and has won two summertime Arkansas State Golf Association junior tournaments at Rebsamen and the prestigious Randy Beaver Invitational at Rolling Hills Country Club.
Though the Panthers did not repeat as state champs a third time this year, Pearson was among the first-round leaders of the state tournament, and he was named to the 7A all-state team.
“I’ve worked really hard all my life, and it’s finally paid off,” Pearson said following his signing. “It feels really good to have the decision made, and to take it to the next level.”
Pearson’s signing makes the third player from the recent dynasty to receive a college scholarship for golf behind current UALR freshmen Hunter Smith and Colby Benton.
“I definitely had big expectations, with all my friends signing last year,” Pearson said. “I was always the underdog with them, as a year or two younger. The Cabot team definitely developed me and made me have higher expectations.”
Pearson started playing golf at the age of 8 and made the leap into junior-tournament play when he was 12. There were offers from some in-state colleges and a few out of state, including Southern Mississippi, but Pearson liked what he saw with the golf program at DSU.
“They just moved to the Gulf South Conference, so they play some really nice courses,” Pearson said. “It’s big-time for me, and it just seems like a good fit.”
Pearson will graduate from Cabot High with a 3.8 GPA or better, and plans on majoring in pre-dental.
