Benton with No. 1 seed in tourney
CONWAY – Fresh off of their Central Arkansas Junior High Conference regular-season championship they wrapped up this past week, the Benton Jr. Lady Panthers ninth-grade squad begins play in the CAJHC Tournament today in Conway.
Benton will be the No. 1 seed and have the early game today, taking on No. 8 seed Lake Hamilton at 9 a.m. at Buzz Bolding Arena in Conway.
After falling for the first time in conference at Conway White last week, the Jr. Lady Panthers swept this past week, picking victories over Lake Hamilton and rival Bryant at Benton Arena to finish the regular season with a 20-2-1 record.
Benton defeated Lake Hamilton 25-20, 25-20 as Henley Hooks led the way with six kills, adding three digs and two aces, while Kenzie Garrett, Gracie Aldebot and Alyssa Houston all had four kills apiece.
Garrett added two digs and two aces, Aldebot had four digs and an ace, and Houston added two blocks in the win.
Margaret Guerra led the Jr. Lady Panthers with 12 digs, with two aces,
Ella Farmer had six digs, Madison Mcintire three kills, Emma Albaugh two kills and Abby Ferguson had a block.
On Thursday, Benton downed Bryant 25-10, 25-14, with Houston leading the way with six kills, Houston had five kills and four digs, and Hooks and Aldebot adding three each. Guerra again led the way in digs with 10, adding an ace, with Garrett digging up eight, adding a kill and an ace. Albaugh had a kill, Farmer a dig and Emmaline Armstrong an ace.
The Benton eighth-graders also ended an excellent season with a sweep of Bryant on Thursday, finishing 23-3-3 overall.