Owens (right) declared winner of the match and the championship. Photo by Kaua Owens.
Benton High School can claim another championship for their athletics program. The Arkansas State Wrestling Tournament was held at Jack Stephens Center on Saturday, February 25th, 2023. Haven Owens won the championship in the 5A state championship at the 138 pound weight class. This was the first time a Benton High School athlete won the state championship in wrestling.
Haven is having a good first year at Benton High School. According to Wrestling Coach Sam Cowling, his family moved to this area from California.
Photo by Kaua Owens.
” I am so proud of Haven, not for just being a State Champion, but for the way he carries himself and handles his business,” stated Coach Cowling. “He is one of the toughest and hardest working athletes I have ever been around. He earned his championship through that hard work and his dedication to wrestling.”
Two other Benton athletes placed in State competition. Pictured below are Josh Brumley (left), who earned 4th in his weight class and Parker Glaze (right) earned 3rd in his.
Brumley is a senior, Owens is a junior and Glaze is a sophomore. Photo by Jake Brabham, who volunteers as assistant wrestling coach.
On the podium below, from left to right is 2nd place – Ross McDonald from Mountain Home; 1st place – Haven Owens from Benton; 3rd place – Elias Miller from Sylvan Hills; and 4th place – Landon Rofkahr from Greenwood.
Pictured above, left to right are winners from Mountain Home, Benton, Sylvan Hills, Greenwood. Photo by Jake Brabham.
Leading this team are Head Coach Sam Cowling and Assistant Coaches Rusell Owens and Jake Brabham. The Wrestlers on the team are Josh Brumley (4th at State, All State Wrestler), Haven Owens (State Champion), Kade Lewallen, James Hamilton, Jake Herbner, Dan Bianchi, Ty Matyja (State Qualifier), and Parker Glaze (3rd at State, All State Wrestler).
Photo by Kaua Owens.
See the full list of events in Saline County at www.mysaline.com/events.