Lady Cardinals Ground Eagles

FARMINGTON — Farmington jumped ahead 19-5 in the first quarter on the way to rout Huntsville, 68-28, at Charles H. Berry Arena in 4A-1 girls basketball action Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Four players scored in double figures led by Trinity Johnson and Tori Kersey, who scored 14 points apiece to pace Farmington. Trinity Johnson scored the first five points of the game, adding a steal and breakaway layup before swishing another trifecta to make the score 8-2.

Although Tanna Wilson banked in a trey for Huntsville late in the first quarter, there was a large disparity in long-range shooting. Huntsville wouldn’t find the range again while Farmington knocked down 10 total 3-pointers. Trinity Johnson hit her first seven seconds into the contest and had four. Makenna Vanzant, who finished with 12 points had a trio of trifectas while Carson Dillard added two more and

Morgan Brye made one off the bench.

Brye’s trey made the score 26-7 with six minutes to go in the second quarter. Huntsville finally found the basket and traded points the rest of the way but the difference was 34-15 at halftime as the Lady Cardinals (20-3, 7-0) dominated throughout the contest.

Free throw shooting also contributed to the blow-out loss for Huntsville, which made only 3-of-7 attempts compared to an 8- for-10 performance at the charity stripe for Farmington.

The Lady Cardinals remain tied with Harrison atop the 4A-1 Conference standings with both teams unbeaten in league play coming into the last two weeks of regular season play.

Scholarship Offers

The prospect of two different players receiving scholarship offers in recent weeks elated Farmington coach Brad Johnson. Northeastern State of Tahlequah, Okla., made an offer to Brad Johnson’s daughter, Trinity, and Crowder College, of Neosho, Mo., extended an offer to senior Audrey Culpepper.

Johnson relished the opportunity on the table for Trinity Johnson both as a coach and as a father.

“That was exciting news for her and that’s fun, too. It’s fun as a coach anytime that a kid gets a college opportunity to get their education paid for to play,” Brad Johnson said. “Obviously, she’s still got quite a bit of her career left, but that was an unbelievably special moment as a coach, and then as a dad, it’s not a better feeling to see that joy on her face when she gets that first phone call and they offer her that opportunity ‘cause she’s put in a lot of work and she’s starting to see the fruits of that labor.”

Brad Johnson was also thrilled with Crowder’s interest in Culpepper noting the campus is relatively close to home within an hour’s drive from Farmington.

“She’s another young lady that’s going to have an opportunity to get her education paid for through the game of basketball. I think that’s just so very, very special and two very deserving kids,” Brad Johnson said. “I’m so I’m excited for Audrey and that opportunity and excited for Trinity. These are kids that have just poured their heart and soul into this program and making themselves better players along the way and to see those opportunities present themselves to them it’s truly amazing.”