Washington County Enterprise-Leader
State Volleyball Wraps Up Lady Cardinals’ Season
FARMINGTON — Two 4A Northwest Conference teams advanced in the Class 4A volleyball state tournament in October while two others were knocked out in the first-round.
Farmington was matched up against Pulaski Academy Tuesday, Oct. 27, in a firstround contest. The Lady Cardinals (6-11) competed valiantly losing a 3- set match, 25-22, 25-14, 25-22, to the Lady Bruins (16-6).
“Getting back to state was a big deal, especially for our program,” said first- year Farmington coach Greg Pair, adding he feels Farmington is a program that should be going to state each year.
Meanwhile, Batesville Southside swept Pea Ridge, (25-18, 25-15, 25-22); while the league’s higher seeds No. 1 Shiloh Christian and No. 2 Harrison advanced to the second-round, but neither made it beyond the quarterfinals.
Valley View dominated Shiloh Christian, 25-11, 25-13, 25-23; while Brookland swept Harrison, 25-17, 25-19, 25-14. Both teams prevailed in the semifinals setting up a State championship rematch of the Oct. 22 4A Northeast Conference championship match won by Brookland in five sets (18-25, 25-23, 25-23, 23-25, 17-15).
Coming into the state tournament that setback was the only loss of the season for Valley View (23-1) while Brookland’s only losses were both to the Lady Blazers during regular season play.
After dropping the first set, Valley View won at Brookland 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25- 19, 25-17) on Sept. 30 and repeated with a season sweep (25-18, 25-17, 25-19) at home Oct. 6.
In Thursday’s Class 4A State semifinals, Brookland needed four sets to get past Fountain Lake (25-23, 21-25, 25-21, 25-19); while Valley View was extended during a peculiar match by Mena and went into a tiebreaker before winning 3-2.
The strange match showcased a seesaw of momentum shifting back-and-forth. Mena knocked off the Lady Blazers, 25-21 in game one. Valley View got on its horse and overwhelmed Mena in the second set by a 25-6 disparity, then looked human again losing, 25-22, to fall behind two games to one in the best of five match by a score of 25-22.
The Lady Bearcats could not maintain the pattern however, and after Valley View won the fourth set, 25-12, to force a tiebreaker; Mena went down 15-6 in the fifth set.
Saturday’s state championship featured a rematch of the 2019 Class 4A State finals won by Valley View over Brookland (25-14, 21-25, 25- 17, 25- 20). Brookland entered the 2019 state tournament as the No. 3 seed out of the Northeast. They swept Central No. 2 Pulaski Academy, 25-12, 25-11, 25-21, then beat Mena 3-1 in the quarterfinal (22-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-16) and took out Northeast No. 2 Batesville 3-1 (21-25, 25-11, 25-11, 25-19) in the semifinals and have been riding that momentum ever since.
Valley View’s volleyball program coached by Margie Magee, has become the most dominant team in any Arkansas high school sport. The Lady Blazers claimed a combined five straight state titles in Class 5A and 4A from 2015-2019 breaking their own record for most consecutive state final wins twice in Arkansas history including a run as 4A State champions from 2010-2013. They won 9 of 10 state championships between 2003 and 2013.
Valley View made its 18th consecutive appearance in the state finals while Brookland was making its third since winning the 2016 Class 4A championship over Huntsville 3-1 ( 25-19, 25-7, 18-25, 25-22). Brookland scored the last seven points to win game-one, 25-19; and secured its third state title by notching the last three points in the fourth set breaking away from a 22-22 tie.
This year in the 2020 championship Valley View
swept Brookland, 25-13, 25-22, 25-19, to win its 15th state championship.