Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Sophomore Goforth paces Fayetteville over Van Buren on Senior Night
FAYETTEVILLE 51, VAN BUREN 32
FAYETTEVILLE — Sasha Goforth hustled for a loose ball, stepped back, and swished a 3-point basket.
It was that kind of night for Goforth, the standout sophomore guard for the Fayetteville Lady Bulldogs.
Goforth scored 26 points to lead Fayetteville to a 51-32 victory over Van Buren Friday in 7A-West Conference play at Bulldog Arena. She had 16 points and made four of her five 3-pointers in the first half to stake Fayetteville to a 20-12 lead.
The win completed another unbeaten conference season for Fayetteville (22-3, 14-0), which plays at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Class 7A State Tournament in North Little Rock. Fayetteville finished 30-2 last year after defeating North Little Rock 59-49 in the championship game at Hot Springs.
“It shows the health of our program,” Fayetteville coach Vic Rimmer said after winning the conference championship. “I’m not about records. The talent and camaraderie we have year-by-year, I enjoy that part of it.”
Coriah Beck provided most of the offense with 23 points in Tuesday’s 53-45 win at rival Springdale High. This time is was Goforth, who made five of eight 3-point attempts.
“That tells you our kids are unselfish,” Rimmer said. “Sasha had a great night and, obviously, started off real well. Whatever they do to us (defensively) we have a player who can answer.”
Beck and Goforth opened the third quarter with 3-pointers then both went inside to help Fayetteville a 30-13 lead. Van Buren called two quick timeouts but the Lady Pointers could not slow the Lady Bulldogs, who led 43-19 early in the third quarter.
Senior Jasmine Franklin added 12 points in her final home appearance for Fayetteville. No player had more than six points for Van Buren (17-10, 8-6), which was held without a point in the second quarter.
Van Buren ......... 12 0 7 13 — 32 Fayetteville ....... 14 6 18 13 — 51 Van Buren (17-10, 8-6): Frazier 6, Kinney, Ryan 6, Sandoval 6, Greebe 5, Mercechka 2, Myers 1. Fayetteville (22-3, 14-0): Goforth 26, Franklin 12, Beck 6, Bobbitt 3, Breathhitt 2, Green 2. SPRINGDALE HIGH 50, ROGERS HIGH 39
The Lady Red Bulldogs (18-9, 9-5) finished the game with a 12-0 run to pull away for the win and claim the No. 3 seed in next week’s state tournament.
Marquesha Davis scored a gamehigh 21 points, including 17 in the second half, for Springdale, which led 32-27 after three quarters. Madison Loyd led Rogers (12-15, 5-9) with 13 points.
Loyd’s 3-pointer gave Rogers a 39-38 lead with 3:56 left in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Mounties wouldn’t score again.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 57, ROGERS HERITAGE 48
The Lady Wildcats used a strong third quarter to build a cushion and held off Rogers Heritage to lock down the No. 5 seed in next week’s Class 7A state tournament.
Har-Ber (14-14, 6-8 7A-West) will take on Little Rock Central in the first round of the state tournament.
Senior Maci Mains drilled four 3-pointers and scored a game-high 19 points for Har-Ber. Point guard Krislyn Smith scored 16.
Har-Ber led 29-24 at halftime and opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run to take a 40-26 lead. Heritage (620, 1-13) fought back and were within striking distance early in the fourth quarter behind Sydney Kinnamon, who scored a team-high 15 points — all on 3-pointers. The Lady War Eagles knocked down nine 3-pointers in the game.
Lady Wildcats hit 13 free throws in the second half and clinched the win at the free-throw line. BENTONVILLE HIGH 68, BENTONVILLE WEST 38
The twin towers of 6-foot-4 Maryam Dauda and 6-foot Fess Hawkins combined for 32 points as Bentonville claimed a home win over West.
Hawkins, a senior transfer from Illinois, finished with 17 points to lead the Lady Tigers (22-5, 11-3), and she surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career with her fourth point. Dauda, a freshman, scored 10 of her 15 points in the third quarter, including a four-point play that sparked a 17-2 run as Bentonville pulled away.
Avery Hughes added 12 for Bentonville, which finished with the second-highest number of conference wins in school history. Anna Kash was the only player in double figures for Bentonville West (9-17, 2-12), finishing with 11.
FULL GAME REPORTS ON THESE 7A-WEST GAMES CAN BE FOUND AT NWADG.COM.