Districts arrive for big schools

Large school basketball teams kick off their drive for the state tournament tonight with local Class 5 teams playing at Farmington and Class 4 schools playing at Notre Dame Regional High School.

A pair of Central-Jackson matchups are slated for the first round at Farmington. Jackson has the higher seeds in both the boys and girls pairings. Jackson's girls are seeded No. 1, and the boys are No. 2. The girls game is scheduled for 6 tonight and the boys will play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Jackson has swept all the previous meetings -- two for the girls and two for the boys. Only one of the games ended with a single-digit margin of victory.

"I think with our depleted roster, Jackson's the heavy favorite," said Central boys coach Derek McCord, whose Tigers are seeded third. "But I wouldn't count us out. We've got guys starting to step up."

Despite losing four of its last six games, Central should get a lift with junior guard Eli Harris back in the lineup. Harris missed seven of Central's last eight games, and was averaging close to 11 points a game before going down.

"Maintaining focus is going to be the key," Jackson coach Mike Kiehne said. "Beating a team three times in one season is tough."

On the girls side, Jackson (22-3) enters the district tournament ranked No. 10 in the state in Class 5. The Indians' three losses came to district rival Poplar Bluff; St. Joseph's Academy, No. 2 in Class 5; and Duchesne, the top-ranked team in Class 4.

While the Tigers, seeded fourth, have managed only six wins, both games between Jackson and Central have been competitive.

"Cape has given us trouble both times they played us," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "We're not going to take them for granted."

Notre Dame tries to repeatNotre Dame's boys and girls teams won district titles at home last season, but this year's route will not be quite as easy for the Bulldogs' boys team.

Notre Dame has struggled much of the season with a young, inexperienced squad. The No. 4 Bulldogs will play No. 5 Perryville tonight in the first round, with the winner getting top-seeded Dexter in the semifinals.

The Bulldogs (5-19) beat the Pirates 61-50 on Friday at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame coach Darrin Scott said Friday's win was a big one from a confidence standpoint, but it will not change the team's game plan for today.

"We focus on our defense trying to be fundamental and our offense trying to be fundamental," he said. "Our focus won't change."

Notre Dame's girls are once again the favorites, although they look a little more human than in previous years. Notre Dame slipped by Perryville 61-53 on Wednesday, keeping the Bulldogs unbeaten against district opponents this season.

Notre Dame will be playing for its eighth straight district championship and a chance for a fourth straight trip to the state championship game.

The district's other local squad, Perryville, is the No. 3 seed at 18-6. April Lorenz, the Pirates' top player, broke the school's scoring record this season.

DISTRICT GLANCE

CLASS 4 DISTRICT 1

at Notre Dame

Boys

Teams: No. 1 Dexter (19-6), No. 2 Fredericktown (17-5), No. 3 Sikeston (5-17), No. 4 Notre Dame (5-19), No. 5 Perryville (6-18), No. 6 Ste. Genevieve (5-19)

Schedule: Monday: Sikeston vs. Ste. Genevieve, 6 p.m.; Notre Dame vs. Perryville, 7:45 p.m.; Semifinals on Wednesday, 6 p.m., 7:45 p.m.; Boys championship, 6 p.m. Friday

Girls

Teams: No. 1 Notre Dame (16-8), No. 2 Dexter (18-7), No. 3 Perryville (18-6), No. 4 Sikeston (13-12), No. 5 Fredericktown (10-15), No. 6 Ste. Genevieve (7-17)

Schedule: Tuesday: Perryville vs. Ste. Genevieve, 6 p.m.; Sikeston vs. Fredericktown, 7:45 p.m. Semifinals on Thursday, 6 p.m., 7:45 p.m.; girls championship is 7:45 p.m. Friday.CLASS 5 DISTRICT 1

at Farmington

Boys

Teams: No. 1 Poplar Bluff (19-6), No. 2 Jackson (21-4), No. 3 Central (17-8), No. 4 Farmington (15-12)

Schedule: Tuesday: Poplar Bluff vs. Farmington 6 p.m.; Jackson vs. Central, 7:30 p.m. Boys final game is 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Girls

Teams: No. 1 Jackson (22-3), No. 2 Poplar Bluff (20-6), No. 3 Farmington (18-7), No. 4 Central (6-18)

Schedule: Monday: Jackson vs. Central, 6 p.m.; Poplar Bluff vs. Farmington 7:30 p.m. Championship is 6 p.m. Thursday.

Class 5 District 1

at Farmington

BOYS

Teams: No. 1 Poplar Bluff (19-6), No. 2 Jackson (21-4), No. 3 Central (17-8), No. 4 Farmington (15-12)

Schedule: Tuesday: Poplar Bluff vs. Farmington 6 p.m.; Jackson vs. Central, 7:30 p.m. Boys final game is 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

GIRLS

Teams: No. 1 Jackson (22-3), No. 2 Poplar Bluff (20-6), No. 3 Farmington (18-7), No. 4 Central (6-18)

Schedule: Monday: Jackson vs. Central, 6 p.m.; Poplar Bluff vs. Farmington 7:30 p.m. Championship is 6 p.m. Thursday.