Notching A State Berth

STORIES OF THE DECADE 2010-2019

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/BENJAMIN KRAIN --2/21/13-- Prairie Grove's Justyne Huber, shown as a senior, drives around Dardanelle defender Shelbie Shay during their 4A Regional game at Maumelle High School on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. Huber earned a starting spot as a freshman and played a key role in helping Prairie Grove win the 2010 Class 4A State girls basketball championship including a 58-44 win over 4A North Regional tournament host, Clarksville, in the first-round to qualify for state.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/BENJAMIN KRAIN --2/21/13-- Prairie Grove's Justyne Huber, shown as a senior, drives around Dardanelle defender Shelbie Shay during their 4A Regional game at Maumelle High School on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. Huber earned a starting spot as a freshman and played a key role in helping Prairie Grove win the 2010 Class 4A State girls basketball championship including a 58-44 win over 4A North Regional tournament host, Clarksville, in the first-round to qualify for state.

SPORTS EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is part of an on-going series highlighting top sports stories for the 2010-2019 decade at Prairie Grove High School and its alumni.

FARMINGTON -- The Prairie Grove Lady Tigers earned a spot in the 4A North Regional Tournament semifinals after a 56-44 victory over the Clarksville Panthers on Feb. 24, 2010, at Farmington's Myrl Massie Gymnasium.

The win proved important for Prairie Grove (28-1), with the first-round victory ensuring a spot in the state tourney.

This tournament allowed spectators from outside the Northwest Arkansas region to get a glimpse of the future of Lady Tigers basketball in the form of 6-foot freshman forward/guard Justyne Huber.

Huber led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 14 points against Clarksville in the first round and shared top honors with Elysia Clement in the Lady Tigers' ledger with 17 points against West Fork.

Huber's seven points in the second period against the Panthers helped stake the Lady Tigers to a 32-23 halftime lead, and her hook shot with 2:38 left in the third frame ballooned that advantage to 15 points, 46-31.

Clarksville closed the quarter with a 7-2 run, closing the gap to 10 points, 48-38 going into the final period.

Prairie Grove converted six free throws in the final stanza and added a Kendra Coyle basket, which allowed the Lady Tigers to outscore Clarksville 8-6 in the period, giving them the 56-44 opening round win.

"We didn't finish some plays and I thought we played a little tense, but like I've said, this is the game you want to get out of the way, because a win puts you in the (state) tournament," said Prairie Grove coach Kevin Froud.

Clement joined Huber in double figures with 11 points, Coyle and Michelle Lumsargis each added eight points, Julie Rutherford contributed six points, Courtney Galloway pitched in four points, Alex Myers finished with three points and Morgan Abernathy had two points.

Clarksville's Serena Clokey and Hanna Banning finished with 17 and 11 points respectively.

CLASS 4A NORTH REGIONAL

Myrl Massie Gym At Farmington

Feb. 24, 2010

Prairie Grove 58, Clarksville 44

Clarksville^12^11^15^6^--^44

Prairie Grove^17^15^16^8^--^56

Clarksville (11-15): Serena Clokey 17, Hanna Banning 11.

Prairie Grove (27-1): Courtney Galloway 1-5 1-2 4, Morgan Abernathy 1-4 0-0 2, Kendra Coyle 2-14 4-4 8, Michelle Lumsargis 2-5 3-3 8, Justyne Huber 3-10 8-11 14, Elysia Clement 2-4 7-8 11, Julie Rutherford 2-4 1-2 6, Alex Myers 1-3 1-2 3. Totals 14-49 25-33 56.

3-Point Goals -- Prairie Grove 3-14 (Rutherford 1-1, Galloway 1-2, Lumsargis 1-4, Huber 0-1, Abernathy 0-2, Coyle 0-3).

Rebounds -- Prairie Grove 28 (Huber 10). Assists -- Prairie Grove 7 (Abernathy 4). Steals -- Prairie Grove 8 (Huber 3). Blocks -- Prairie Grove 3 (Clement 2, Huber). Turnovers -- Prairie Grove 9.

Sports on 06/03/2020