4A-1 Junior High District Tournament Roundup

Farmington Teams Advance, PG Teams Fall Early

FARMINGTON — Several local junior high squads took part in the 4A-1’s, season ending, District basketball tournament held last week at Myrl Massie gymnasium in Farmington.

Both Prairie Grove teams made an early exit from the tournament after suffering first-round losses, while both Farmington squads battled their way through the field, into the championship contests held on Saturday. Junior Girls — The junior Lady Cardinals placed four players in double figures in their first-round, 26 point blowout over the Gentry Pioneers on Monday. Kristi Duchanois led all scorers with 15 points, followed by Trish O’connell with 12; Sherra Irvin, 10; Maria Mcpherson, 10; Mackenzie Sill, three; and Jessica Bode, one. Junior Boys — The Farmington junior boys cruised into the semifinals with an opening round shellacking of Highway 62 rival, Prairie Grove. Farmington’s Michael Ingram had a game high 15 points and was followed in the scorebook by Skyler Barnes, nine; Flint Oxford, eight; Mack Spears, six; Coy Sigmon, four; Darian Cunningham, four; T. J. Askegaard, three; Caleb Reagan, three; Brice Waggle, two points; and Jeremy Mueller, one. The Tigers were led by Leighton Smith with six points. Dylan Soehner scored five; Parker Galligan, four; Gavin Heltemes, three; Daniel Young, two; and Sam Dodd, two. Junior Girls — The Prairie Grove junior girls season came to an end when they bowed out of the tournament, losing to the Bobcats on Wednesday. Stormy Roach led the Tigers with seven points. Mattie Hartin tallied six; Taylor Hartin, three; Taylor Spinks, three; Emily Sapp, three; and Marie Grigson, one. Junior Girls — The Cardinals punched their ticket to the championship game with a victory over the Hillbillies in the semifinal round Thursday. Duchanois led five Farmington players in the scorebook with 14 points. Irvin complemented Duchanois with nine points. Mcpherson followed with eight; Sill, four; and O’connell, four. Junior Boys — In overtime, Farmington’s Justice Hobbs launched a game-winning, desperation, one- handed heave near mid-court as the game-clock buzzer was sounding, which broke a 37-37 tie with the Eagles and clinched a berth in the title tilt for the Cardinals on Saturday. Oxford and Spears led Farmington in scoring with 10 points each. Barnes finished with seven; Hobbs, five; Ingram, three; Kaden Curry, three; and Mueller, two.

Junior Girls — Miranda Camp- bell scored 10 second-half points, including a pair of 3pointers to lead Huntsville past Farmington in the girls championship. Free-throw shooting down the stretch was the difference, with Farmington missing five foul shots in the last minute while Huntsville hit 5-of-7. Duchanois led Farmington with 14 points. Sill scored nine; Irvin, four; and Mcpherson, two. Junior Boys — The junior Cardinals came in wanting to do in basketball what they accomplished in football, win the conference championship, but came up short against Gentry. Ingram’s bucket on the inside pulled Farmington within 21-16 with 3:21 to go in the third quarter, but Gentry closed out the period on an 8-4 run to go up, 28-20.

Matt Mahan, Farmington coach, said the junior Cardinals played poorly in the first half then made a run in the second half.

“They answered us every time,” Mahan said.

“We played with a lot of confidence and composure,” said Tim Rippy, Gentry coach.

“Gentry had a lot of good looks. Gentry made every good look, every open shot it seemed like they hit,” Mahan said.

“We played as hard as we possibly could. It’s something we can really hang our hat on,” Rippy said, adding he is looking forward to many more years of basketball with this group of athletes.

“We weren’t making them and they were,” Mahan said.

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Breanna Jones deflects a Blackhawk pass. Jones celebrated senior night as Farmington defeated Pea Ridge, 47-31, in girls basketball on Feb. 7.