Battle of 72762: Springdale Har-Ber vs. Shiloh Christian

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fans were treated to an early-season showcase of talent on Thursday night as the Har-Ber Wildcats and Shiloh Christian Saints squared off in a benefit match. In a back-and-forth match filled with big swings and solid defense, Har-Ber came away with a 3–2 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats leaned on the steady presence of setter [player_tooltip player_id='749856' first='Reese' last='Davis'], who directed the offense with confidence. [player_tooltip player_id='809769' first='Madi' last='Bryant'] showed up big at the net as a middle blocker, while outside hitters [player_tooltip player_id='771153' first='Beaux' last='Cameron'] and [player_tooltip player_id='749844' first='Leighton' last='Keyes'] delivered insane kills to keep Har-Ber rolling. Defensively, libero [player_tooltip player_id='809395' first='Joely' last='Tankersley'] was rock-solid, keeping rallies alive with sharp reads and passing. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='771153' first='Beaux' last='Cameron'] made a huge impact in her debut for the Wildcats, turning many heads on what could be a monumental season for her.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shiloh Christian battled, refusing to back down. Freshman setter Micah Unger made her debut spreading the offense well, connecting often with middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='750224' first='Caroline' last='Stallbaumer'] and outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='808122' first='Chloe' last='Blessing'], who both made their mark offensively. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='763687' first='Bristol' last='Bonanno'] provided strong backrow leadership as libero, and right side Harper Davie made her freshman debut with crucial kills. The Saints also saw key contributions from Rylee Bodenstein, [player_tooltip player_id='834914' first='Lily' last='Cox'], [player_tooltip player_id='752239' first='Faith' last='Fulfer'], Mary Reese, Kennedy Brown, and [player_tooltip player_id='797596' first='Olivia' last='Yancey'], showcasing the depth and balance that will be central to their season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the result favored Har-Ber, the bigger takeaway was the preview it provided of two programs built for deep postseason runs. Har-Ber looked capable of competing for a ring once again in Class 6A, while Shiloh Christian demonstrated their ability to be named State Champions once again in 5A this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The benefit match not only gave both teams a chance to tune up before conference play but also gave fans an early glimpse at what promises to be an exciting season ahead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>- Hannah Watkins, Prep Dig Arkansas Lead Scout, @prepdighannah on IG/X.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->