CLASH IN 4A: JACKSON GIRLS, ST. JOSEPH'S TO BATTLE TONIGHT

Okay, so the Jackson Lady Indians have climbed out of their formidable district.

Now, Jackson, the top-ranked team in the state and owner of an 18-game winning streak, will coast to the Final Four, right?

Not so fast, says Ron Cook, who will coach the Lady Indians against St. Joseph Academy of St. Louis in tonight's 4A sectional game at 8:15 in Farmington's Civic Center.

"They've got a good team," Cook said of St. Joe. "They've got good size and they rebound the ball well. They've actually have some inches on us."

Jackson takes an impressive 23-1 record and the state's No. 1 ranking into Farmington.

But St. Joe (18-8), a winner in six of its last seven games, doesn't respect the rankings much.

The Angels doomed the No. 2 team in the state last week.

St. Joe downed Parkway West last Friday night in the District 2 championship and, because of that win, appeared in the state's rankings for the first time this year at No. 6. Parkway West dropped to No. 7.

Jackson is looking to make its fifth straight trip to the Final Four and its first state championship.

St. Joe brings in some impressive history of its own. It won four straight state championships from 1991-94 when Kristin Folkl, who went on to earn All-American honors in volleyball and basketball at Stanford, was on its roster.

In a game earlier this year, Jackson defeated St. Joe 74-53, but had to rally to do it.

The Lady Indians trailed by 13 late in the third quarter before stomping St. Joe 23-7 in the fourth quarter.

"It was close," Cook said of the win earlier this season. "Our full-court press rattled them a little (in the fourth)."

St. Joe has posted an impressive 18-8 record this season, despite playing a demanding schedule. In addition to their win over Parkway West, the Angels split games with Jefferson City (No. 5, Class 4A).

St. Joe also downed Poplar Bluff -- which lost to Jackson by four points in the district final and was the only team to beat the Lady Indians -- 47-38 in the first game of the season.

Like Jackson, St. Joe features an impressive balance between four players.

Coleen Powers, a 5-foot-11 forward, averages 10.9 points per game, while 6-foot-3 center Katie Kieffer scores 10.7 points per game. Sarah Mullen (5-10) and Maggie McCartney (5-8) -- both junior guards -- score 9.0 and 7.5 points per game, respectively.

Jackson is led by Melissa Palmer's 14 points a game, while Chrissi Glastetter, Cherish Tillman and Andrea Koeper each average 11 points.

"It's going to be a battle under the boards," Cook said. "What we'll have to do is go around them. We can't shoot over them. And we have to run the floor; their fast breaks are baseball passes.

"I think we'll be confident going in. We know what's at stake. Most of the girls have been there before."