Happy Tuesday! The weather (and matchups) are heating up, and we have a whole new week of action for you! But before we get into the week, there’s a new champion to crown!
The winner of Mascot Madness 2026 is the Dardanelle Sand Lizards! 🦎
What else is coming up in today’s Bulletin?
🎙️ Kerry Castillo on soccer and the lessons it has taught him
📈 What’s trending around the state
🏆 Handing out awards for Team & Athletes of the Week
Let’s dive right in!
⚽️ Passing It On. When he first started playing soccer at a young age, Bentonville West’s girls soccer coach Kerry Castillo had no idea the lessons the sport would teach him. Sharing his testimony of what he’s overcome plays a big role into how he views his responsibility as a head coach.
🥎 Tiger Takedown. Bentonville softball picked up a big win, beating defending state champions Benton with a 10-0 win. Freshman Maye Wenger had a big day at the dish, hitting a grand slam and finishing with four RBIs, while senior Violet Nguyen had three RBIs on two hits. Junior Daylyn Osborne dominated in the circle, tossing a six-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.
🐶 Bulldog Baseball. Fayetteville baseball earned another win this season, taking down non-conference opponent Benton, 7-2. Despite falling behind early in the game, the Bulldogs pieced together four runs in the second inning to take the lead. On the mound, senior Cayden Dutile allowed just two runs in 5 2/3 innings of works.
🔥 Heating Up. Shiloh Christian extended their win streak to eight, recording a dominant 17-1 win over Bentonville West. The Saints broke the game open in the second inning, putting up 12 runs. Shiloh demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing four bases-loaded walks before piling on with run-scoring hits from junior Jacob Maynard, junior Wyatt Wagner, senior Chandler Kemp, and senior Jackson Efurd.
🥎 Har-Ber softball picked up their seventh-straight win with a gritty 4-3 victory over Bentonville. Despite being tied 2-2 in the sixth inning, the Lady Wildcats found a way to close out the game for the win, led by freshman Lilly Rugg. With the win, Har-Ber holds an 8-1 record in conference play, with 13 total wins this season.
⚾️ Bentonville baseball used a big inning to take down 6A opponent Fayetteville, beating the Bulldogs 11-3 win. Senior Connor Davis played a big role in the win, knocking in three runs with two hits and a home run. The Bulldogs are now tied with Rogers and Har-Ber for the top spot in conference play.
🥎 Har-Ber softball picked up their first win over Bentonville since 2011, with pitcher Cyarah Dotts at the helm. In the circle, the senior only allowed five hits with six strikeouts. Her grit helped her outpace Bentonville’s ace, holding the Tigers to three runs.
April 14:
⚾️ 6A Southside @ Northside, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 6A Har-Ber @ Fayetteville, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 6A Rogers @ Bentonville West, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 5A Harrison @ Mountain Home, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 6A Fayetteville @ Springdale, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 6A Bentonville @ Southside, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 6A Northside @ Har-Ber, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 5A Harrison @ Mountain Home, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
Arpil 17:
⚾️ 6A Fayetteville @ Aquinas (KS), 4:00 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 6A Northside @ Conway, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 6A Springdale @ Webb City (MO), 4:30 pm | Watch Here
⚾️ 5A Mountain Home @ Russellville, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 6A/4A Pea Ridge @ Bentonville West, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 6A/4A Fayetteville @ Gravette, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
🥎 5A Mountain Home @ Russellville, 5:00 pm | Watch Here
👋 Hello There!
Did someone share the Varsity Vibe Bulletin with you? At Varsity Vibe, we want to elevate the conversation around high school sports in Arkansas. Subscribe today to get the best in Arkansas high school athletics sent straight to your inbox twice a week, first thing in the morning. It’s the perfect way to start your day!
