FARMINGTON
Johnson earns 200th win with Lady Cardinals
6A-WEST STATISTICAL LEADERS
BOYS
TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^6^385^64.2
Bentonville^6^328^54.7
Springdale Har-Ber^6^312^52.0
Springdale High^6^295^49.2
Rogers High^6^293^48.8
Bentonville West^6^271^45.2
Van Buren^6^261^43.5
Rogers Heritage^6^250^41.7
TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Bentonville^6^239^39.8
Fayetteville^6^265^44.2
Springdale High^6^297^49.5
Springdale Har-Ber^6^301^50.2
Rogers High^6^301^50.2
Rogers Heritage^6^323^53.8
Bentonville West^6^332^55.3
Van Buren^6^337^56.2
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
PLAYER, SCHOOL^G^PTS^AVG
Cooper, Fayetteville^6^108^18.0
Jenkins, Springdale Har-Ber^6^102^17.0
T.Releford, Fayetteville^6^97^16.2
Gilmore, Van Buren^6^90^15.0
Buchanon, Springdale Har-Ber^6^90^15.0
Mason Springdale High^6^89^14.8
Shanks, Bentonville^6^76^12.7
Simmons, Bentonville^6^74^12.3
Brothers, Van Buren^6^68^11.3
Paschall, Rogers High^6^66^11.0
Boyd, Springdale High^6^64^10.7
Da.Bailey, Bentonville West^6^64^10.7
Miller, Rogers High^6^61^10.2
Clines, Rogers Heritage^6^60^10.0
Di.Bailey, Bentonville West^6^58^9.7
Freeman, Bentonville^6^53^8.8
Kimball, Rogers Heritage^6^48^8.0
Hardiman, Bentonville West^6^48^8.0
Phillips, Van Buren^6^47^7.8
I.Releford, Fayetteville^6^47^7.8
Eckwood, Springdale High^6^47^7.8
Deffebaugh, Bentonville^6^46^7.7
Hignite, Springdale High^6^40^6.7
Smith, Bentonville^6^37^6.2
Garrett, Fayetteville^6^35^5.8
Barnett, Fayetteville^6^35^5.8
Hobbs, Rogers High^6^33^5.5
Bishop, Springdale Har-Ber^6^32^5.3
Rahme, Rogers High^6^32^5.3
Liddell, Rogers High^6^31^5.2
Connor, Bentonville West^6^29^4.8
Henry, Springdale High^6^27^4.5
Furuseth, Rogers Heritage^6^27^4.5
Voigt, Rogers Heritage^6^25^4.2
Higson, Bentonville West^6^25^4.2
GIRLS
TEAM OFFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^6^362^60.3
Bentonville^6^361^60.2
Springdale High^6^287^47.8
Rogers High^6^285^47.5
Springdale Har-Ber^6^270^45.0
Van Buren^6^260^43.3
Rogers Heritage^6^248^41.3
Bentonville West^6^230^38.3
TEAM DEFENSE^G^PTS^AVG
Fayetteville^6^222^37.0
Bentonville^6^240^40.0
Van Buren^6^261^43.5
Bentonville West^6^272^45.3
Rogers High^6^289^48.2
Springdale High^6^320^53.3
Springdale Har-Ber^6^348^58.0
Rogers Heritage^6^351^58.5
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
PLAYER, SCHOOL^G^PTS^AVG
M. Davis, Springdale High^6^124^20.7
Koons, Springdale Har-Ber^6^109^18.2
Goforth, Fayetteville^6^105^17.5
Hughes, Bentonville^6^87^14.5
Beck, Fayetteville^6^82^13.7
Dauda, Bentonville^6^82^13.7
Miller, Van Buren^6^65^10.8
Storey, Rogers High^6^65^10.8
McConnell, Rogers High^6^64^10.7
Wilson, Bentonville West^6^63^10.5
Kash, Bentonville West^6^61^10.2
Evans, Van Buren^6^55^9.2
Starks, Springdale Har-Ber^6^51^8.5
Kannady, Van Buren^6^44^7.3
Smith, Bentonville^6^42^7.0
Minchew, Springdale High^6^41^6.8
Sysavanh, Springdale High^6^40^6.7
Dickerson, Rogers Heritage^6^40^6.7
Wood, Bentonville West^6^39^6.5
Sanders, Bentonville^6^38^6.3
Nelson, Springdale Har-Ber^6^37^6.2
Bridges, Fayetteville^6^36^6.0
Gause, Springdale High^6^36^6.0
Ryan, Van Buren^6^35^5.8
Releford, Fayetteville^6^33^5.5
Covington, Rogers High^6^32^5.3
Mahone, Bentonville West^6^32^5.3
Greebe, Van Buren^6^31^5.2
Figenskau, Rogers High^6^31^5.2
Brooks, Rogers Heritage^6^31^5.2
Hayes, Bentonville^6^31^5.2
Brockhoff, Rogers High^6^30^5.0
Lynge, Rogers Heritage^6^30^5.0
Byars, Fayetteville^6^27^4.5
Jones, Rogers Heritage^6^26^4.3
Irlenborn, Bentonville^6^25^4.2
Brad Johnson didn't ever think he'd coach girls basketball. But that decision and the one to come to Farmington have turned out pretty well.
Johnson, who spent the first several years of his career as a boys' coach, is in his 10th season with the Farmington Lady Cardinals. With Tuesday's 55-27 win over Huntsville, he claimed his 200th victory at the school. But he didn't want to talk about himself.
"When you get to a milestone like that, it's less about the coach and more about the program of people that you're lucky enough to be around," Johnson said. "The kids have bought into what we want to do. I've been really blessed from the day I walked into Farmington with really good kids and a great staff.
"It was never really on my radar. But I had kids, two daughters. I didn't know if they would even be interested in playing. But switching has been great for me and my family. When I was offered the job at Farmington, it was a Godsend. I thought there was just this tug to be here."
This year's Lady Cardinals team does include Johnson's daughter, Trinity, a 5-9 sophomore.
Johnson credits his time as an assistant coach with Sandy Wright at Springdale Har-Ber as key for him as a coach.
"My three years with her were pivotal for me to grow as a coach and a human being," Johnson said. "The thing Sandy was so great at was building relationships.
"For me, the better part of six years I thought I had good relationships with my kids. Sandy brought great balance for me."
Farmington athletic director Brad Blew, who built the Lady Cardinals basketball program into a state power before moving into administration, has also been incredibly helpful, Johnson said.
"He's been a great sounding board and mentor for me," Johnson said. "He's so proud of this school and this community, he's pushed that into my DNA."
The Lady Cardinals (17-4, 6-1) jump back into a tight 4A-1 Conference race tonight at Prairie Grove.
-- Paul Boyd • @NWAPaulB
BERGMAN
Panthers on the move in Class 3A
Bergman is a much-improved team that could be a factor during postseason play in Class 3A.
Need proof?
Bergman has won six consecutive games, including Tuesday's 99-80 victory over Guy-Perkins on a nonconference matchup. Shelton Welsh poured in 28 points for the Panthers, who improved to 24-4 on the season. Chris Carico added 24 points and made eight of the Panthers' 15 3-pointers in the game.
"It was a very fast-paced game," Bergman coach Bo Martin said. "We had a good shooting night but struggled to consistently get stops. Guy-Perkins shot it very well, also."
Bergman also beat Valley Springs 52-45 last week after losing 77-53 to the league leader in the 3A-1 East Conference earlier in the season.
"Our kids didn't come ready to play in that first game, and the loss left an impression on them," Martin said. "They were happy for a second chance to bring their best, and they responded."
Bergman is among the league leaders after finishing 15-20 last season. The Panthers have been helped by a sophomore class that went 29-3 last season in junior high.
Bergman starts four underclassmen, including sophomore Elijah Royce, who averages 16 points and 11 rebounds per game to lead the Panthers. Juniors Sheldon Welsh and Chance Carter are also major contributors.
"We have a team full of unselfish guys with a lot of kids that contribute," Martin said. "Elijah is 6-foot-4, and he's a good athlete who can handle the ball outside or drive it and score inside. Sheldon and Chance are two juniors who are very consistent and bring a lot of energy."
Bergman has four games remaining before district tournament play begins Feb. 11 at Clinton. The regionals will be held at Mountain View, and the Class 3A state tournament is scheduled for Osceola.
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
WALDRON
Bulldogs are more than one-man show
It's no secret that Waldron has one of the state's most prolific scorers in junior Payton Brown. The Central Arkansas verbal commit has scored more than 50 points in a game twice and more than 40 in three more games. He is closing in on surpassing 1,500 career points.
But coach Josh Brown's team is more than a one-player show, and several other players are also having productive seasons for the Bulldogs (17-5, 7-2 3A-1 West Conference)
Drew Dozier is the only senior on the Bulldogs' roster, and his contributions have been invaluable, Josh Brown said.
"He does everything well for us," Brown said. "He hits the boards hard, and he's improved his outside shooting. He's always been a good shooter from around 15 feet, but this year he will step out and hit a couple of 3's."
Jacob Avila, a 5-foot-10 junior, has been a lock-down defender, and sophomore Gada Wagner has also been a big contributor on the defensive end, coach Brown said.
The Bulldogs are in the mix for a high seed in the 3A-1 West, sitting one game behind second-place Elkins and two behind conference leader Charleston heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
"We knew this conference was going to be tough when it was announced last year," Brown said. "You better show up every night ready. We knew Charleston would be a good team and the same with Elkins, but any of the teams in the conference are capable of beating you."
The Bulldogs have won three straight after stumbling a bit with three lopsided losses to Booneville, Charleston and Elkins. Waldron has to travel to Charleston next week and will host Elkins on Feb. 5.
-- Chip Souza • @nwachip
CLARKSVILLE
Lady Panthers thrive on balance
Clarksville girls coach Randy Talley believes his team is a hard team for opponents to scout because the Lady Panthers are so balanced.
Clarksville (18-5, 7-1 4A-4) have six players that average at least five points a game, and each of them is capable of being the team's leading scorer in any given game.
"We knew we were going to be deep," Talley said. "We usually play nine players in a game, and we started noticing it at the beginning of the season. We can have two, three or four players score in double figures during a game, and it could be a different two, three or four players in every game.
"We have four guards that are really balanced; then there are the two big girls that can score inside."
The Lady Panthers suffered their only conference loss last week against Pottsville after the Lady Apaches hit a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Clarksville, however, bounced back in a big way Tuesday night with a 60-32 victory over Dover as Emmaline Rieder had 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Clarksville entered Thursday night's game against Dardanelle tied with Pottsville for first place in the 4A-4 standings with four games left to play. The Lady Panthers, however, control their destiny and will get the top seed if they remained tied when the regular season is completed.
"The loss was a tough one on us," Talley said. "It was a tough atmosphere with Pottsville having its homecoming, and we didn't get off to a good start. We missed a few free throws that could have helped us, and when they hit that shot at the buzzer the air came out of us.
"Our goal was to run through the league and win the conference title outright. Now we just have to take care of one game at a time and take care of our business."
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
Sports on 01/25/2019