By Jeff Halpern | Photos by Tommy Land 

HOT SPRINGS — After being state runner-up the past three years, the Brookland Bearcats finally get to return home with the championship trophy. 

No. 4 Brookland (30-4) defeated No. 14 Shiloh Christian (23-5) 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 for the Class 4A state championship at Bank Ozk Arena Saturday, ending a string of three consecutive defeats in the state championship to Valley View, which has moved up to Class 5A.

“We talked a lot about that, and this is surreal,” said Brookland head coach Nancy Rodriguez. “We have dreamed about this and gained a lot of experience. This day can be so overwhelming and last year, we were babies when we lost.”
