Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Cornerstone Of Lady Cardinal Success
DOUBLE OVERTIME VICTORY FRAMES SEASON
— Trinity Johnson figured prominently into one of the defining moments of Farmington’s 2019-20 girls basketball state championship season that landed the Lady Cardinals in the Class 4A State finals.
Farmington never got to play Star City in the title contest originally scheduled for March 13 at Bank OZK Arena at Hot Springs because the threat of covid19 shut down high school sports. The teams were declared co-champions on April 6 by the Arkansas Activities Association, but that doesn’t diminish an outstanding season.
Double Impact
Johnson’s sharp-shooting and play during a terrific junior year with 96 made 3- pointers often created a double- impact — sending Farmington fans into a frenzy while disheartening opponents.
Her clutch 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds to go in double overtime lifted Farmington to a crucial, 48- 47, hardfought victory on the road at Pea Ridge Jan. 7. The trifecta changed the outcome, erasing a two-point deficit and giving Farmington a one-point win, setting off a chain reaction as Farmington coaches, players and fans erupted in jubilation.
“It was a really awesome thing to see my teammates get fired up,” Johnson said, modestly adding she was really surprised that it went in.
Farmington fans weren’t surprised. Johnson made 4- of-11 shots from 3- point range scoring 12 points, keeping her team in the game along with senior forward Audrey Culpepper, who scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. They were the only two Lady Cardinals in double figures.
Winning Play
The key to winning arose from both seeking and expecting an opportunity to make a play. When Pea Ridge missed a free throw with 10 seconds remaining in the second overtime, Farmington did what it does best — get the ball into the frontcourt and take a quality shot quickly.
“I knew whenever we got the rebound and got the fastbreak going that it was going to be open and that it was just a rhythm shot for me,” Johnson said. “It was just like any other shot I take in that game.”
The nail- biting victory became a cornerstone of Farmington’s state championship season, which with 11 other conference victories including a Feb. 14 road win at Harrison (74-60) allowed the Lady Cardinals to claim the 4A- 1 regular season conference championship, the first of four crowns they would win on the season.
Tough Defense
Pea Ridge played extremely good defense limiting Farmington’s top- two scorers, Makenna Vanzant and Tori Kersey, to a combined 11 points on 3-of-21 shooting. Each made an impact, however. Kersey ripped down 11 rebounds and gave the Lady Cardinals 4 second chances on the offensive glass. Vanzant grabbed 5 rebounds and handed out 4 assists while limiting her turnovers as primary ball-handler to 3. The Lady Cardinals suffered just 8 turnovers as a team, which loomed large as a contributing factor into their win.
Pea Ridge pl ayed well enough to win, but they didn’t.
The Lady Blackhawks led much of the game until Farmington surged in front late in the fourth quarter. Pea Ridge answered with a 13-4 run that extended into overtime. The run featured a trey by Aiden Dayberry that cut
Farmington’s lead in half and eventually allowed the Lady Blackhawks to tie the game, at 33-33. Farmington couldn’t capitalize on a chance to win at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime.
Pea Ridge’s only senior Allisa Short capped the run with a 3- pointer pushing the Lady Blackhawks ahead, 38- 35, before Farmington rallied to force a second overtime with the scored deadlocked at 38-all.
Hurried Score
Farmington took a 43-42 lead, but Dayberry nailed another trey from the right wing followed by two more Lady Blackhawk points. With 25 seconds to go Farmington was down, 47-43, and Pea Ridge had the ball.
Johnson’s father, Farmington head coach Brad Johnson, called time-out and incredibly the Lady Cardinals snatched victory out of the jaws of near defeat.
Pea Ridge missed a free throw. Farmington ran its offense, drawing a foul, stopping the clock and sending senior Joelle Tidwell to the foul line where she coolly made both shots. The Lady Cardinals again fouled to halt the clock with about 10 seconds remaining. Pea Ridge once more couldn’t convert the front end of a 1-and-1.
Knowing they had to hurry Farmington executed. Sophomore Carson Dillard took the outlet and pushed the ball up-court drawing defenders which left Trinity open for the spot-up three.
The win helped frame Farmington’s season with the Lady Cardinals meeting Pea Ridge three more times — winning 67-56 at home in Cardinal Arena Feb. 4 and 51-39 in the District 4A-1 semifinals at Prairie Grove Feb. 20 plus another must-have 56-33 win in the 4A North Regional semifinals at Berryville on Feb. 28.
All-Tourney
Johnson was named to the All-State Tournament team after averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist per game helping the Lady Cardinals claim the Class 4A State crown, with wins over Pocahontas (65-48) in the quarterfinals and Batesville (76-64) in the semifinals.
Johnson knows more is expected of her as the coach’s daughter but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s a lot of fun getting to play for him because I’ve done nothing but grow up around the teams he’s coached,” Johnson said of her father who finished the year with 241 victories plus his first state championship since taking over the program in 2009.
“I always wanted to play under him and being able to have the opportunity now is just really big, it’s really unique and I really love it. As hard as he is on me I really do appreciate playing for him.”