By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor The Cabot Panthers made a valiant come back from a nine-point deficit and force overtime, but missed too many free throws and committed too many turnovers in losing the season opener to Conway 57-51 at Panther Arena. Both teams are still playing without a few key players who are still competing in the class […]

By GRAHAM POWELL  Leader sportswriter Friday night’s class 2A quarterfinal matchup will be a battle of smash mouth running games, as Rison, the No. 3 seed from the dominant 2A-8 Conference, will make the trip to Fred C. Hardke Field to take on the Carlisle Bison. Neither team has faced much adversity since the playoffs began almost three weeks ago. […]

By GRAHAM POWELL Leader sportswriter The Jacksonville boys went 3-0 in the 16th annual Searcy Bank Classic, and clinched the tournament championship with a close 53-48 win over class 6A Benton on Saturday at the Searcy High School gymnasium. Jacksonville (4-0), the defending class 5A state champion, trailed the Panthers (1-2) by a point at halftime, but opened the second […]

By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor The Cabot football team is one win away from playing its first state championship game in 13 years. Standing in the way is one of its nearest and biggest rivals, and perhaps the state’s most talent-rich team in North Little Rock. These two teams met in week four of the season and in the […]