Benton downs Cabot for 1st CAJHC win
CABOT – After losing a 31-28 heartbreaker in overtime to rival Bryant this past Monday at home, the Benton Jr. Lady Panthers picked up their first Central Arkansas Junior High Conference win Thursday on the road, handling Cabot South 31-11 in Cabot.
The win puts Benton at 2-4 overall, 1-0 in the CAJHC.
According to Benton Coach Kelly Scott, it was all about the defense.
“We played a better defensive game than we have played in awhile,” Scott said.
Up 23-7 at the half, the Jr. Lady Panthers struggled to score with just eight total points in the second half, but the defense held Cabot South to just four to complete the rout.
Freshman Brynn Barbaree led all scorers with 12 points, Kelsey Greer added six, and
Addison Barger and Lariah Hawkins had four points apiece.
Against Bryant on Monday, Greer led all scorers with 19 points, Barger had five and Hawkins had four.
The ninth-graders won’t play again until Jan. 21 when they travel to Conway to take on the blue team.
The Benton eighthgraders also picked up a win Thursday after falling on Monday to Bryant. On Thursday, the eighth-graders won 24-19 over Cabot with Mccartney Asher leading the way with 11 points.
Elle Bolding had six points, Addisyn Chism five and Bel Butler two.
“The eighth grade played well on both ends of the floor,” Scott said, “but I thought they were really good on the defensive end of the floor.”
In an 18-17 loss to Bryant on Monday, Asher led the way with nine points and Chism four, with Skylar Percy and Bolding adding two each.
The eighth grade will take on Bryant at home Monday at 4 p.m.