Bentonville High getting ready for postseason

Bentonville High got a leg up on a top seed for the upcoming Dual State tournament with a hard-fought 35-33 win over Springdale Har-Ber last week. The Tigers, who are the defending dual state and Class 6A-7A state champions, took advantage of bonus points to earn the tough win against Har-Ber as both teams won seven matches each. Bentonville coach James Rappe likes how his team is performing with the dual state tournament a little more than a week away. The Tigers also learned plenty, going 3-3 in the Owasso (Okla.) Rams Duals last weekend, Rappe said. "I think we're in a good place," Rappe said. "I still think we need to continue to work hard and get sharper and sharper. There are lots of people out there training hard. Har-Ber is a good program over there with some good kids. If they have some things go their way, that dual could have been entirely different. Alex Crowe holding Quentin Reed to a decision was big for us." Reed won 3-2 in the final match of the dual. But that gave Har-Ber just three team points. If Reed gets a fall, that's six points and Har-Ber takes the dual 36-35. "It's really close between the two teams," Rappe said. "I don't think either team disappointed. They may have been disappointed not to walk away with the 'W', but I think kids on both sides put on a show." Bentonville finishes up duals against rival Bentonville West tonight, then takes on Van Buren and Fayetteville next week. That double dual was postponed because of winter weather. The Tigers, who haven't lost a dual to an in-state school, likely need to win two of three to secure the No. 1 seed from the West for the Dual State tournament, which will be held Feb. 3 in Fayetteville. The tournament pits the top four teams from the West against the top four teams from the Central. Searcy is the likely No. 1 seed from the Central, followed by Little Rock Central at No. 2. The final two spots are still up for grabs. Cabot, Conway and Bryant are the teams fighting for those berths.

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Bentonville High School Athletics

BENTONVILLE HIGH GETTING READY FOR POSTSEASON

PAUL BOYD

Arkansas Online | 1/25/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Benjamin Krain