Lady Cardinals Snag Two Wins

FARMINGTON — Farmington earned a tough, 60-54, win over Clarksville on Colors Day.

The Lady Cardinals held the lead most of the first quarter with Makenna Vanzant scoring 11 points on a variety of drives to the basket. She used a headfake to get a first step and gave Farmington a 14-9 lead, but Clarksville ended the period on a 9-2 run behind a trio of 3- pointers. Farmington moved back in front, 31-28, at halftime and stayed in front, 45-40, after three quarters.

Clarksville erased that with a 6-0 run, taking a 46-45 lead on Hover Lindsay’s 3-point play, the first of five lead changes in the fourth. Samantha Childers gave Clarksville their last lead of 51-50 midway through the period on a steal and layup. The Panthers had no answer for Vanzant, who finished a drive to break a 52-52 tie.

Anthea Jones came away with a key steal after Clarksville pulled down an offensive rebound. That stop led to offense with Kaylee Brown using a jump-hook to score in the lane. Vanzant’s free throw extended the margin to five before Clarksville pulled within three off a steal. Brown hit 3 of 4 free throws to ice the game and Farmington won, 60- 54, ending the game with an 8-2 run in the last three minutes. Vanzant scored a game-high 26 to lead the Lady Cardinals. Brown added 15 and Madisyn Pense had 12.

Megan Payne scored 16 to pace Clarksville.

Farmington 56, Greenwood 49

In a see-saw battle featuring freshmen playing varsity girls basketball, Farmington had the last word in pulling out a 56-49 win at wood Jan. 10.

Gre e nwo o d f re s h - man Jaelin Glass nailed a 3-pointer to erase Farmington’s two-point lead, putting the Lady Bulldogs in front, 49-48. Farmington’s freshman starter Vanzant was instrumental in the Lady Cardinal win by scoring four points as Farmington closed out the game on an 8-0 run.

The game went back and forth with both teams making runs. Farmington led 16-15 after the first period, only to have Greenwood move in front on a 3-point play by Harley Terry to start the second quarter. The Lady Cardinals then fashioned an 11-0 run to take a 27-18 lead. Greenwood rallied with an 11-2 run of their own fueled by Farmington turnovers to tie the game at 29-29 at the half.

Greenwood led 40-38 after three quarters of play, but Farmington outscored the Lady Bulldogs by a 2- to-1 margin ( 18-9) in the final period. The Lady Cardinals got a number of high-percentage shots in crunch Green- time by consistently taking the ball to the basket and shot 70 percent from the field in the fourth. Defensive rebounding was a key for Farmington with Greenwood only able to connect on two field goals.

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove outscored West Fork in every quarter to earn a solid, 56-44, victory in the 4A/3A District-1 over West Fork Jan. 17.

With the win Prairie Grove swept West Fork in the season series. In the first meeting, Prairie Grove was playing on their fourth game of the season when they won, 60-50, on West Fork’s home court Dec. 6. West Fork had played twice as many games (8) and Prairie Grove was without their football players.

A month later, now integrated into the team, those “football players” had a major impact. DeMarkus Co o p e r re corded a double-double in points and rebounds and his big body neutralized West Fork’s big man Chance Poplin, who scored 4 points early before Cooper entered the game. Cooper continued to display a knack for making plays in critical moments. Twice down the stretch, he rebounded missed 3-pointers and scored.

After West Fork briefly took a 14-12 lead on Justin Bivens’ inside bucket off a lob, Cooper worked a giveand-go with Taylor Moore to tie the game. His free throw restored Prairie Grove to the lead, at 15-14, midway through the second and they never trailed again.

Senior guard Isaac Disney, who has chosen to play through an injury, busted a trey from the wing to start the second half. Then after another West Fork run of 6-2 capped by Dalton Hays’ spin move in the lane, Disney broke the press and dished to Moore for a layup making the score, 30-24.

Sophomore Will Pridmore saved a steal off the press and Disney attacked the basket. He missed, but Cooper’s athletic tip-in demonstrated his agility. Anthony Johnson was inserted near the end of the third quarter and popped a 3-pointer from the right corner to conclude the period with Prairie Grove ahead, 45-34. He fearlessly drove the lane and added a free throw to begin the fourth.

Zeke Laird, quarterback of the football team, had a 3-pointer in the first quarter, then made an assist to Cameron Simmons keeping the margin, at 52-38, with 4:14 to play. Playing with a mix of enthusiasm for the game and reckless abandon in the full-court press, Disney chased a ball going out-ofbounds, making a save with his back to the court that led to Simmons’ short jumper in the paint sealing the game with a 56-43 Prairie Grove lead near the minute mark.

Several players, who don’t play football and have been with the team since day one, were also instrumental in propelling Prairie Grove to their eighth win against only three losses in league play. Simmons, who teamed up with Cooper for a double blocked-shot against Poplin on the baseline, led Prairie Grove with 13 points while Pridmore had 12. Guard D.J. Pearson scored a big basket near the end of the third. After lobbing the ball to Simmons, he cut and got the ball back for a layup. Moore and Braden Risner contributed with quality minutes.

The win was a nice comeback after a 71-69 overtime loss at Elkins Jan. 13.