Sophomore guard becomes more of a focal point as Lady Cardinals captured fourth consecutive state title

By Buck Ringgold

Easton McCollough’s sophomore season was, more or less, a transitional one.

The 5-foot-9 guard was being relied more as a go-to player. Furthermore, McCollough had a new coach, which happened to be her mother, Jessica.

However, it didn’t stop Easton from producing stellar numbers for the second straight season. Plus, her sophomore year ended up just like her freshman year did – with a state championship.

“My freshman year, I was obviously surrounded with a bunch of really talented seniors, and we were a very talented group,” McCollough said. “I kind of played off the ball more my freshman year and then my sophomore year, I kind of had to transition more into handling the ball more and facilitating more play, making more.

“And I think that showed throughout the year, just my ability to make plays better. My sophomore year, I guess you could say, I just had the ball in my hands a lot more.”

That translated to McCollough averaging 33 points a game, along with 5 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 3.1 steals. She also shot 44% from 3-point range, making 160 treys, 12 coming in a Class 5A state tournament win against Batesville, setting a state record.

As a freshman, McCollough averaged 21 points. But with not very many underclassmen to rely on, she knew she had to find ways to become the focal point of the Lady Cardinals’ offense.

“I think, obviously, just getting bigger; I think I put on like 15 1/2 pounds since my freshman year,” McCollough said. “I think that that’s obviously been the main thing and obviously I’m still working to do that.

“But like I said as well, just playmaking and facilitating more, showing more that I can do more than just shoot it. And I think I think that was our big thing, just making my body a little bigger and then, playmaking more, having the ball in my hands, driving more, finishing at the rim.”

As far as Jessica McCollough – a former Farmington standout herself – taking over as head coach, her daughter didn’t see much of a difference.

“Honestly, it wasn’t a whole lot different, not just for me, but for everyone,” Easton said. “I think just because this was like, I think her 21st year here at Farmington, but she’s just the one standing up, not the one sitting down on the bench now.”

Speaking of her mother, she had her single-game school record for points broken by Easton, when she poured in 56 points against Kansas school Bishop Miege. McCollough had three games where she scored at least 50 points.

Then in the 5A title game, she scored 32 points while coming up with 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals as the Lady Cardinals downed Mountain Home, 74-39, for their fourth consecutive state championship.

“I don’t think it was more special for me,” McCollough said. “They’re equally just as special for me. You know, we always say winning doesn’t get old, and you know, we never take that for granted. Just because we’ve won one doesn’t mean we’re given the next.

“We reset each year, so one of them isn’t more special to me than the other. They’re both equally as special.”

McCollough now prepares for another reset as she attempts to go 3-for-3 in winning state titles. Not to mention garnering more attention, with several Division I schools already seeking her services.

“Most people tell me my biggest thing is just put more weight on my body, carrying myself better, being more physical,” she said. “And then obviously just keep leading my team; we’ll have a bunch of seniors going into next year that are phenomenal leaders.

“So I think those two things are gonna be my biggest thing, just getting bigger and then obviously keep being a leader like I have been.”

Photos by Jessica McCollough