Cabot looks to add soccer to title trove | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

CABOT -- Cabot High School has had a championship-caliber athletic season.

The Lonoke County school has won Class 7A state team championships in boys basketball and boys and girls bowling in the 2015-2016 academic year.

Soccer finals schedule

at Razorback Field, Fayetteville

TODAY’S GAMES

Bentonville vs. Cabot, 10 a.m. (girls)

Bentonville vs. Springdale, Noon (boys)

Siloam Springs vs. Russellville, 2 p.m. (girls)

Siloam Springs vs. Russellville, 4 p.m. (boys)

Today, the Cabot girls soccer team has an opportunity to get the school's fourth team championship this season.

Cabot (20-4) will play Bentonville (19-4-1) at 10 a.m. at Razorback Field in Fayetteville in the Class 7A girls state championship game.

It's the first state championship game appearance for Cabot's girls soccer program and sixth-year Coach Kerry Castillo.

"To win one would really solidify our program as one of the best in the state," Castillo said. "We've had success. But for me as a coach, I try to build the girls' confidence that year in and year out, we can be one of the best teams in the state. But I think this opportunity shows not only the girls that they can do something, but for the rest of the state that we are one of the best teams in the state."

This season, Cabot has enjoyed its best soccer campaign, winning the 7A/6A-East Conference title with a 9-1 record. The Lady Panthers defeated Fort Smith Northside 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Fayetteville 4-3 in two overtimes in the semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament last weekend.

Castillo said he hasn't had to motivate his team much this week.

"The girls are ready to play," he said. "The days leading up to the game, they're sitting around and thinking about every moment."

Cabot has been led by sophomore Tristyn Edgar, who has 34 goals. But it's been a transfer from the defending Class 7A state champion who has helped Cabot become one of the top teams in the state's largest classification.

Junior Hadley Dickinson, a transfer from Bryant, has scored 18 goals and has 17 assists this season. She's played in the past two state championship games with Bryant and has been able to pass along her experience to her Cabot teammates this week.

"I just told them not to be nervous, even though it's impossible not to be nervous," Dickinson said. "It doesn't matter who we play. We're just going to try to do our best."

Castillo said his team's chemistry has been the key for its success.

"Our girls have a tremendous faith in each other," he said. "They really play for one another. You can see it in their work ethic. They celebrate with one another when they're successful. They're genuinely friends. The bond that has kept us together has helped us to be successful."

Cabot lost to Bentonville in the state tournament the past two seasons. For the Lady Panthers, their mission was a simple one going into the 2016 season.

"The girls made it their goal to play for a state championship," Castillo said. "They didn't want their goal to be anything less than that. We won a conference championship and got a bye. We moved on and put ourselves in the semifinals and gave ourselves a chance to reach our ultimate goal. Now we've got a chance. I'm so proud of them."

Dickinson is playing in her third state championship game today. She lost as a freshman in 2014, but won last year in her sophomore season.

"It would mean the world to me," Dickinson said on the possibility of winning a title at Cabot. "Winning it at two schools, not a lot of players get to do that in their high school career."