Cards let off gas at Berryville to set up crowning moment

FARMINGTON — Farmington (22-2, 8-0 4A-1) let off the gas pedal but couldn’t help routing Berryville 75-23 on the road Tuesday, Jan. 23, at Bobcat Arena.

Jaxon Berry had 20 points and 6 rebounds for Farmington, while Layne Taylor added 13 points and 7 assists. Sam Kirkman and Maddox Teeter scored 12 points apiece for the Cardinals.

The game was played at a much slower pace than Farmington generally dictates. The Cardinals led 13-5 after one quarter, then blew the game open by outscoring the Bobcats 50-14 over the two middle periods to assume a commanding 6319 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

Layne Taylor finished with 13 points and could have easily surpassed the 3,000 point total for his career but in reality the Cardinals let off the gas pedal, knowing Layne Taylor would have a chance the next night to achieve the milestone, needing only to score five points at home against Huntsville in a makeup game on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

“He said he wanted to do it here in the gym that he’s played in his whole career. That’s something else that we’re excited about that he’s been able to play four years at Farmington, which is what we wanted,” said his father, Farmington coach Johnny Taylor.

In retrospect the Taylor family’s counting its blessings as Layne Taylor ended the Berryville game with 2,995 career points scored — all in a Cardinal uniform during four spectacular seasons of high school basketball.

“We were trying to get somewhere where we had enough stability that he could have a good career and play with good players and that’s what we’ve been spoiled with,” Johnny Taylor said. “We’ve had really good players, really good community support, really good administration, really good teachers. Farmington’s such a great place to get to do that. With such classy people that’s special.”