5A girls basketball state championship: Farmington wins third straight, first in Class 5A

The Cardinals claim the first state title in Class 5A, third in as many years

Tommy Land

New classification, same result.

In their sixth consecutive trip to the state championship, the Farmington Cardinals are taking home the Class 5A trophy after conquering Greene County Tech 54-44. The Cardinals won the Class 4A title in each of the previous two seasons.

Freshman sensation Easton McCollough was named the 5A state tournament's Most Valuable Player. McCollough finished with a game-high 24 points in the contest on 8 of 15 shooting, including 4 of 9 from three-point range, plus four rebounds and three assists. Marin Adams added 14 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Cardinals (30-1).

E'Marriha Johnson and Weslyn Burnside each had 15 points for GCT (31-3), while Johnson finished with a double-double, pulling down 12 rebounds.

Pregame

The matchup that just about everyone expected in Class 5A is happening at Bank OZK Arena.

Both teams are riding impressive win streaks as Greene County Tech has won 24 in a row to Farmington's 19, but the Cardinals boast an incredible 88 consecutive against in-state opposition. The last time Farmington lost to an in-state opponent was the heartbreaking defeat in the final seconds to Nashville in the 2022 4A state final.

Greene County Tech (31-2) has improved each season under third-year coach Jason Smith, and excluding consecutive losses to Springdale and Mountain Home — who were both ranked in their respective classifications all season — in early December, the Eagles have played like a championship-caliber squad. They are looking to win the third state championship in program history, first since 1996, in their sixth all-time appearance in the final.

E'Marriha Johnson has been a massive addition after the junior moved from nearly Kennett (Mo.) during the offseason. She has offers from St. Louis Univeristy and Tennessee-Martin and has averaged 15.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and two steals per game. Johnson has more than 1,000 career points.

Past Johnson, the Eagles have had great consistency and balance from the rest of their lineup, which includes seniors Myiah Butler (8.1 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.9 bpg, signed with Harding University) and three-sport athlete Weslyn Burnside (9.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 spg), along with Jacey Edrington (7.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg) and junior Sophia Gonzalez (7.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg).

Farmington (29-1) is in the championship round for the sixth consecutive season, but its first in Class 5A. The team has been the heavy favorite all season despite moving up in classification. It is the program's 10th all-time appearance in a state final.

Farmington is scoring an incredible 73 points per contest and allowing 39 and has really been challenged twice — a loss to Webb (Tenn.) in late December and the recent semifinal matchup with Vilonia.

While this Cardinals roster might have more combined state championship experience than any team regardless of classification, the addition of freshman sensation Easton McCollough (20.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 43% 3FG, 87% FT) has taken this squad to another level. McCollough started receiving major college offers in junior high, including from nearby Arkansas, plus many others.

The senior trio of Pittsburg (Kan.) State signees Marin Adams (14.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 80% FT) and Kaycee McCumber (12 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.5 spg, 77% FT) and Minnesota signee Zoey Bershers (10 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg, 82% FT) headlines the wealth of experience. Senior Ouachita Baptist softball signee Morgan Uher has been key off the bench, as she leads the team in three-point percentage (44%) and free throw percentage (88%).

(Updates will appear here after the game starts.)

FINAL: Farmington 54, Greene County Tech 44

Resilient effort by GCT. The Cardinals win their third consecutive state championship, the first in Class 5A. McCollough finishes with 24 points.

Fourth quarter

Farmington 53-44, 1:05

Ball goes out of bounds off of GCT. Farmington calls time.

Farmington 51-44, 2:27

Again, Johnson scores on a layup, then McCollough gets one of her own and is fouled but the and-one is no good.

Farmington 49-42, 2:54

McCollough responds to a Johnson layup with another three from the top of the key. Media timeout.

Farmington 43-40, 4:31

E'Marriha Johnson get the inbound pass and lofts up a successful 15-footer to put the Farmington lead back to one possession. Timeout GCT.

Third Quarter

End of 3rd: Farmington 41-34

The Cardinals stretch the lead back out to seven thanks to five points in the final 1:11 by McCollough, who is up to a game-high 16 points.

Farmington 36-34, 2:43

Farmington 36-29, 3:38

GCT's Jacey Edrington swishes a three from the left corner, then Butler fouls McCumber on the other end. Media timeout, McCumber will shoot two free throws when action resumes. Both were successful.

Farmington 34-23, 5:37

Cardinals are looking to pull away up double digits following McCollough's lay in, GCT Coach Jason Smith calls another timeout looking to regroup his squad.

Farmington 30-23, 6:28

Adams connects on a jumper and is fouled. GCT calls time, Adams will attempt the and-one when we return.

Farmington 28-23, 7:14

GCT's Myiah Butler finds Burnside for a layup, then Bershers responds with another three.

Halftime: Farmington 25-21

Despite shooting only 29% from the field, GCT is hanging tough and only down by two possessions at the break. Burnside leads all scorers with 11 points, McCollough has nine for the Cardinals.

Second quarter

Farmington 25-21, :35

Weslyn Burnside connects on a three from the top of the key to cut the Cardinal lead to two, but Marin Adams responds with a jumper on the other end.

Farmington 22-14, 5:01

Marin Adams lays in a contested bucket, is fouled and is successful on the and-one.

Farmington 15-11, 7:52

McCollough nails a three to second into the quarter.

First quarter

End of 1st: Farmington 12-11

Neither team scored in the final 1:55 of the quarter and Farmington will inbound to begin the second.

Farmington 12-11, 1:58

Weslyn Burnside gets a layup and is fouled, and-one is good to cut Farmington's lead to one.

Farmington 12-8, 2:17

Freshman star Easton McCollough has five points already for Farmington and the Cardinals have hit three three-pointers, but Greene County Tech is finiding answers as the Eagles have connected on two long range shots. Media timeout.

Farmington 4-0, 7:00

Kaycee McCumber is fouled and hits one of two free throws for the game's first point, then Zoey Bershers hits a three on Farmington's ensuing possession.

The ball has tipped and we are underway!

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