Rogers’ Crowns 8 Champs in Domination Arkansas 6A Girls Wrestling States; Searcy Runs Away With 5A Crown

Nationally ranked stars Ashley Thompson and Anna Dux lead a historic Rogers performance, while Searcy piles up five titles and a massive margin to highlight the depth and fast-rising future of girls wrestling in Arkansas.

Rogers girls wrestling shows off its state championship trophy after dominating the Class 6A state tournament with eight champs. / Rogers Wrestling

Arkansas has a robust women’s wrestling scene going on that has enough participants for two divisions – 5A and 6A. While those numbers haven’t translated to a lot of national success, there are many promising girls returning next year who will look to make noise this spring and summer to crack the national rankings.

The Rogers Finals Factory: 10 for 10 on the Podium

Two girls from Rogers have done so with their acts on the mat, No. 30 Ashley Thompson (155 pounds) and No. 32 Anna Dux at 130. Both captured state crowns in what was an impressive display from Rogers who pushed 10 ladies into the finals with eight of them securing gold to power the Mountaineers to the 6A Team Crown over Central, 218.5-153.5

Those ten finalists marked all of Rogers’ place winners. A rare feat indeed.

Dux used a 17-1 technical fall of Central’s Alix Norfleet to capture her glory. Thompson moved up to 155 from 145 pounds, where she is ranked nationally, to take out Cabot’s Kaylie Owens, 8-2. The move worked splendidly for Rogers as the lady who stepped out at 145 pounds, Arden Jellen, locked down a gold of her own with a 9-3 decision of Central’s Lillie Parker.

Other Mountaineers to secure top honors were Leslie Marquez (100 pounds), Dalani Hornbuckle (110), Heysel Solis (140 pounds), Heidi Benefield (190), and Rebecca Gonzalez at 235 pounds.

Hornbuckle and Benefield gained their wins on pins. Hornbuckle flattened Har-Ber’s Merlinda Kinere in 1:23. Benefield went into the middle frame to pick up her fall in 2:15 in a bout with a Har-Ber foe, Laila Tilly.

Two more Har-Ber girls were handed losses by Mountaineers, these coming on decisions as Marquez worked into overtime to gain the 12-9 upper hand over Jayciana Thigthen. Solis had an easier time with Miriam Pedro before posting a 10-3 final.

Gonzalez blanked Serenity Jefferson (Fayetteville), 5-0. Rogers’ runners-up were Gracie Wood (105 pounds) and Shelsea Morales (170).

Central, Bentonville Battle for Position

Central’s second place finish came with one champion, Layne Hattenhauer, who used a 6-3 decision at 120 pounds to come out ahead of Har-Ber’s Giana Rutledge. Har-Ber did get one champion to go along with their five silver medalists as Eliana Bungitak won by three against Cabot’s Christina Bivins, 11-8, in the 115-pound finals.

Bentonville, who finished in third, went home with two champions, Genesis Hernandez (105 pounds) and Alexis Dubowsky (135). Both won with bonus points. Hernandez decked Rogers’ Woods midway through the final round, 4:54. Dubowsky threw up a controlling 10-2 major decision of Central’s Bryah Jackson.

Bentonville West’s Isabella Easterling won a neighborhood battle as she squared off with Bentonville’s Khloe Robinson at 125 pounds and walked off the mat with a 19-2 technical fall. The final 6A Champ, Katelynn Chandler, hails from Cabot and picked up her title with a fall midway through the match, 3:00, over Morales the Mountaineer at 170 pounds.

Searcy’s 5A Statement

On the 5A side of things, Searcy ascended to the top of the standings with five champions out of seven finalists and eleven overall placers. The display gave them a more than 100-point advantage over runner-up Van Buren, 216-110.5.

The five Searcy Golds were secured by Tianti Whitfield (115 pounds), McKenna Likert (125), Emerson Pulley (135 pounds), Isabella Pinson (145), and Gracie Bailey (170).

Likert and Pulley achieved their victories on falls with both in the second period. Likert planted Vilonia’s Kaitlyn Robinson in 4:00 and Pulley dropped Bauxite’s Aubrey Rhoden in 2:45. Bailey didn’t stick anyone, but she wasn’t challenged either, as she rolled to a 16-0 tech fall of Audrey Simons (Greenbrier).

Close matches were endured by Whitfield and Pinson. Whitfield’s encounter with Mountain Home’s Jurzie Guiltner was won on a 7-4 tally in the sudden victory period. Pinson won a shootout with Lakeside’s Kylee Herron, 17-16.

Finishing second for Searcy were Valeria Moreno (110 pounds) and Elisabeth Bogan (130). Bronze medals were earned by Aubrey Reynolds (100 pounds), Rilyn O’Neal (105), Avery Smith (140 pounds), and Olivia Sewell (235).

Lake Hamilton’s Trio, Greenwood’s Grit

Lake Hamilton finished in third with 74 points, but their three champions were the second highest for a squad after Searcy. Two gained their supreme statuses with first-period falls, Raylee Hunter (130 pounds) and Lilyana Suit (155).

Hunter’s came with seven seconds left against Searcy’s Bogan, 1:53. Suit booked hers in 90 seconds over Van Buren’s Evelyn Romero. Hayley Riddell used an 8-4 decision to take the 105-pound class versus Van Buren’s Bailey Doss.

Van Buren’s lone champ accomplished her goal with a 19-3 tech fall of Mountain Home’s Ellie Miller at 120 pounds. Dominating wins were also posted in the final round from Avrey Taylor (Russellville) and Addison Girley (Arkansas High).

Taylor rocked a first period fall, 1:29, at 140 to discard Jer’Leah Davis (Sylvian Hills). Girley’s came at the 3:19 mark of the second period over Jacksonville’s Layla Adomako (190 pounds).

Nail-biting one-point wins were put on the brackets from El Dorado’s Aaliyah Strickland (235 pounds) and Greenwood’s Farah Crossno (100). Strickland got by Van Buren’s Deanna Ramirez, 4-3. Crossno edged Bailee Schaffner (Mountain Home), 6-5. Bella Black of the Pulaski Academy picked up a 3-1 decision against Searcy’s Moreno in the 110-pound final.

6A Team Scores (Top 10)

1-Rogers 218.5

2-Central 153.5

3-Bentonville 137

4-Har-Ber 133

5-Cabot 92

6-Conway 83

7-Fayetteville 53

8-Southside 30

9-Bentonville West 29.5

9-Northside 29.5

5A Team Scores (Top 10)

1-Searcy 216

2-Van Buren 110.5

3-Lake Hamilton 74

3-Mountain Home 74

5-Greenwood 55

6-Lakeside 52.5

7-Arkansas High 50

8-Sylvan Hills 39

9-Pulaski 38

10-Beebe 28

10-Russellville 28

Individual Results

6A 100

1st Place Match

Leslie Marquez (Rogers) 40-13, So. over Jayciana Thigthen (Har-Ber) 27-5, Jr. (SV-1 12-9)

3rd Place Match

Isabella Totten (Conway) 36-10, Jr. over Tybee Smith (Bentonville) 19-18, So. (Fall 5:37)

6A 105

1st Place Match

Genesis Hernandez (Bentonville) 21-16, Fr. over Gracie Wood (Rogers) 31-18, So. (Fall 4:54)

3rd Place Match

Brittany Villegas (Central) 35-5, Jr. over Jaragua Calderon (Har-Ber) 22-16, Sr. (Fall 5:50)

6A 110

1st Place Match

Dalani Hornbuckle (Rogers) 49-3, Sr. over Merlinda Kinere (Har-Ber) 31-8, Sr. (Fall 1:23)

3rd Place Match

Ne`riah Fuller (Conway) 26-21, Sr. over Kathryn Estrada (Bentonville) 30-18, So. (Dec 12-8)

6A 115

1st Place Match

Eliana Bungitak (Har-Ber) 32-9, Jr. over Christina Bivins (Cabot) 20-4, So. (Dec 11-8)

3rd Place Match

Makaylah Walker (Fayetteville) 19-8, Sr. over Maddox Quiroz-white (Central) 23-24, So. (Fall 1:35)

6A 120

1st Place Match

Layne Hattenhauer (Central) 26-3, Sr. over Giana Rutledge (Har-Ber) 31-11, Jr. (Dec 6-3)

3rd Place Match

Paiges Arsola (Southside) 24-3, Sr. over McKinley Runnels (Bentonville) 29-8, Sr. (Dec 3-0)

6A 125

1st Place Match

Isabella Easterling (Bentonville West) 32-2, Jr. over Khloe Robinson (Bentonville) 34-12, Jr. (TF-1.5 5:56 (19-2))

3rd Place Match

Ava Davenport (Central) 34-16, Sr. over Madyson Rogers (Cabot) 27-10, Sr. (Fall 5:28)

6A 130

1st Place Match

Anna Dux (Rogers) 49-2, Sr. over Alix Norfleet (Central) 35-6, Jr. (TF-1.5 3:29 (17-1))

3rd Place Match

Scarlet Moon (Northside) 18-4, Sr. over Georgia Elam (Conway) 19-19, Jr. (Fall 1:27)

6A 135

1st Place Match

Alexis Dubowsky (Bentonville) 46-4, So. over Bryah Jackson (Central) 32-9, Sr. (MD 10-2)

3rd Place Match

Isabella Soto (Southside) 21-8, Jr. over Anthonia Thigthen (Har-Ber) 29-18, Sr. (Fall 5:49)

6A 140

1st Place Match

Heysel Solis (Rogers) 37-15, So. over Miriam Pedro (Har-Ber) 29-11, Sr. (Dec 10-3)

3rd Place Match

Makenzie Lawvey (Bentonville) 31-24, Sr. over Mallary Flory (Cabot) 5-2, Sr. (Fall 2:17)

6A 145

1st Place Match

Arden Jellen (Rogers) 39-11, Sr. over Lillie Parker (Central) 25-4, Sr. (Dec 9-3)

3rd Place Match

Cora Babb (Conway) 26-21, So. over Kadence Center (Fayetteville) 10-12, Fr. (Fall 3:01)

6A 155

1st Place Match

Ashely Thompson (Rogers) 49-2, Sr. over Kaylie Owens (Cabot) 28-3, Sr. (Dec 8-2)

3rd Place Match

RayNya Watson (Northside) 25-9, Sr. over Lily Johnston (Bentonville) 33-14, So. (SV-1 7-3)

6A 170

1st Place Match

Katelynn Chandler (Cabot) 29-5, Jr. over Shelsea Morales (Rogers) 45-7, Sr. (Fall 3:00)

3rd Place Match

Makayla White (Central) 39-6, Sr. over Ma`kenna Williams (Conway) 26-21, Jr. (Fall 3:47)

6A 190

1st Place Match

Heidi Benefield (Rogers) 40-4, Sr. over Laila Tilly (Har-Ber) 29-8, Jr. (Fall 2:15)

3rd Place Match

Markita Harper (Central) 35-6, Jr. over Brionna Senert (Fayetteville) 15-12, So. (Fall 1:27)

6A 235

1st Place Match

Rebecca Gonzalez (Rogers) 22-2, So. over Serenity Jefferson (Fayetteville) 13-10, Jr. (Dec 5-0)

3rd Place Match

Allie Hitt (Bentonville) 29-15, So. over Zulema Mendoza (Conway) 31-9, Jr. (Fall 3:03)

5A 100

1st Place Match

Farah Crossno (Greenwood High School) 31-4, Sr. over Bailee Schaffner (MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL) 38-8, So. (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match

Aubrey Reynolds (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 41-16, So. over Bethani Martinez (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 19-8, Fr. (Fall 2:00)

5A 105

1st Place Match

Hayley Riddell (Lake Hamilton) 30-2, Jr. over Bailey Doss (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 24-8, Jr. (Dec 8-4)

3rd Place Match

Rilyn O`Neal (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 37-19, Fr. over Rain Thompson (Pottsville High School) 10-7, Fr. (Fall 1:48)

5A 110

1st Place Match

Bella Black (Pulaski Academy) 31-6, So. over Valeria Moreno (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 38-6, Sr. (Dec 3-1)

3rd Place Match

Julissa Mora (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 24-9, So. over Natalie Carlson (Sheridan) 12-3, Sr. (Fall 4:26)

5A 115

1st Place Match

Tianti Whitfield (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 48-7, Jr. over Jurzie Guiltner (MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL) 33-12, Jr. (SV-1 7-4)

3rd Place Match

Maryanna Truong (Pottsville High School) 19-6, So. over Paisley Burger (Mena) 27-4, So. (Fall 5:59)

5A 120

1st Place Match

Eva Garcia (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 30-3, Sr. over Ellie Miller (MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL) 36-12, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:41 (19-3))

3rd Place Match

Addy McCauley (Benton) 23-4, Jr. over Katelyn Wallace (Lakeside) 33-12, Sr. (Dec 7-4)

5A 125

1st Place Match

McKenna Likert (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 52-6, Sr. over Kaitlyn Robinson (VILONIA HIGH SCHOOL (9-12)) 25-4, Jr. (Fall 4:00)

3rd Place Match

Fran Campos (Lakeside) 38-6, Jr. over Brooklynn Stuteville (MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL) 26-15, So. (Fall 4:50)

5A 130

1st Place Match

Raylee Hunter (Lake Hamilton) 27-1, Sr. over Elisabeth Bogan (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 39-16, Jr. (Fall 1:53)

3rd Place Match

Brinkley Hathcote (Pulaski Academy) 22-8, So. over Braelynn Lynch (Beebe High School) 24-17, So. (Fall 0:33)

5A 135

1st Place Match

Emerson Pulley (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 52-5, Sr. over Aubrey Rhoden (Bauxite) 37-6, Jr. (Fall 2:45)

3rd Place Match

Zakeria Shoto (Arkansas High) 31-6, Sr. over Olivia McCoy (MOUNTAIN HOME HIGH SCHOOL) 31-12, Sr. (Fall 3:02)

5A 140

1st Place Match

Avrey Taylor (Russellville High School) 23-0, Sr. over Jer`Leah Davis (Sylvan Hills) 30-7, Jr. (Fall 1:29)

3rd Place Match

Avery Smith (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 44-11, Jr. over Alyssa Beasley (Lakeside) 26-16, Sr. (Fall 3:03)

5A 145

1st Place Match

Isabella Pinson (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 53-5, So. over Kylee Herron (Lakeside) 29-11, Sr. (Dec 17-16)

3rd Place Match

Lauren Register (Central Arkansas Christian) 20-4, So. over Addie Forst (Paris High School) 23-7, So. (TF-1.5 5:09 (18-1))

5A 155

1st Place Match

Lilyana Suit (Lake Hamilton) 35-2, Jr. over Evelyn Romero (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 19-3, Sr. (Fall 1:30)

3rd Place Match

Neveah Campbell (Sylvan Hills) 16-5, So. over Keiley Poor (Huntsville High School) 19-5, Sr. (Fall 1:34)

5A 170

1st Place Match

Gracie Bailey (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 48-9, Jr. over Audrey Simons (Greenbrier) 23-7, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:31 (16-0))

3rd Place Match

Afton Bridges (Greenwood High School) 27-6, Jr. over Evergrace Anderson (Mena) 26-5, So. (Dec 3-2)

5A 190

1st Place Match

Addison Girley (Arkansas High) 23-3, . over Layla Adomako (Jacksonville) 29-4, Jr. (Fall 3:19)

3rd Place Match

Brianne Mancini (Greenwood High School) 19-4, Sr. over JaiCee Jennings (GRAVETTE HIGH SCHOOL) 30-8, So. (Dec 9-2)

5A 235

1st Place Match

Aaliyah Strickland (El Dorado) 5-0, So. over Deanna Ramirez (VAN BUREN HIGH SCHOOL) 19-3, Sr. (Dec 4-3)

3rd Place Match

Olivia Sewell (SEARCY HIGH SCHOOL) 39-14, Jr. over Hannah Keller (Beebe High School) 23-14, Sr. (Fall 4:57)