Close losses

The 7A-Central Conference schedule has not been kind to Cabot.

Cabot (2-4, 0-3 7A-Central) started 2-0 but is on a four-game losing streak, including three consecutive losses in 7A-Central play to Little Rock Catholic, Fort Smith Southside and Conway.

The Panthers’ three losses have come by a combined 14 points and came down to either the final minute in the fourth quarter or overtime.

Catholic defeated Cabot 15-13 in a game that started Sept. 21 but was completed the next day because of inclement weather. Rockets quarterback Jordan Eddington threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Cole Plafcan with 10 seconds remaining.

Southside held off Cabot 30-24 on Sept. 28. Taye Gatewood threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Tyrese Solomon with one minute left.

Conway earned a 34-28 victory in overtime Friday when Jovoni Johnson scored from 2 yards out. Cabot had an opportunity to take the lead on the first series of overtime, but TJ Rogers was stopped at the Conway 1 on fourth and goal from the 3.

Coach Mike Malham, who has been at 299 victories since a 27-7 victory at El Dorado on Sept. 7, couldn’t believe the Panthers’ luck down the stretch in their first three league games.

“I don’t know you can come as close to winning all three of them like we have and come out on the wrong side of them,” Malham said. “But that’s life, man. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

The Panthers host Little Rock Central (1-4, 0-3) on Friday. Malham hopes his team can get back into the 7A-Central playoff race. The league takes six of its eight teams to the Class 7A playoffs.

“I told them to keep your head up,” Malham said. “If you’re a man, you come back stronger. If you let up now, you’re a boy, not a man. That’s what builds character.

“You’re going to have setbacks in life. You can’t lay down. You can’t quit. You have to keep working and working. Sooner or later, it’s going to happen.”