Jackson boys repeat as district champions

~ Top-seeded Indians claim their second straight Class 5 District 1 title with a 62-32 rout of Poplar Bluff.

JACKSON -- The Jackson High School boys basketball team anticipated a close game with Poplar Bluff.

Why wouldn't the Indians? After all, when the squads met a little more than a month ago, Jackson won by five points.

Nothing that happened in the first quarter of Friday night's Class 5 District 1 championship game suggested that the rematch would be any different.

But what transpired over the final three periods certainly did.

TOP: Jackson players held up their district championship plaque after Friday's 62-32 victory over Poplar Bluff in the Class 5 District 1 final at Jackson High School. ABOVE: Jackson's Jake Leet drove through traffic for a layin during the second half. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Host Jackson used a 12-0 second-quarter run to take control and the top-seeded Indians went on to destroy the second-seeded Mules 62-32.

"I sure didn't expect to win by 30 points," Jackson coach Darrin Scott said.

Neither did his players.

"I thought it would be a really tough game," said senior guard Jake Leet, who scored 18 points.

Added 6-6 senior forward Spencer Goodman, who led the way with 25 points: "Actually, I was [surprised]. We knew it was going to be a battle. We made shots and played good defense."

AARON EISENHAUER aeisenhauer@semissourian.com (Jackson's Kelci Keith took aim on a 3-point shot as Poplar Bluff's Natalie Stonecipher defended during their Class 5 District 1 championship game Friday at Jackson High School.)

The Indians improved to 20-7 with their second straight district title.

Jackson will play state-ranked Webster Groves on Wednesday night at the Farmington Civic Center in the sectional round.

Webster Groves beat the Indians 72-51 in late December, but Jackson played that game without Goodman.

"They're a great team," Scott said. "We'll have to play really well."

But thoughts of the Statesmen could wait for a little while, at least until the Indians properly celebrated their destruction of Poplar Bluff (11-15).

Jackson's Whitney McNeely took a shot during the first half of the Class 5 District 1 championshiip game.

The Mules came out strong and hit their first four shots, including three layups.

There were four lead changes and four ties in the first quarter, which ended with Jackson ahead 13-12.

Poplar Bluff got the opening basket of the second period to go back in front 14-13 -- and then the roof caved in on the Mules.

Jackson scored the next 12 points and the game was a romp from there.

"The second quarter was the key to the game," Scott said. "And the third quarter, the way we started."

Jackson's Jake Leet goes up for a lay up during the second half of their championship game against Poplar Bluff on Friday, February 22, 2008. Jackson beat Poplar Bluff to win the District 1 Class 5 championship. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Jackson carried a 33-19 lead into the break and blew things open with a 24-7 third-quarter advantage that made it 57-26.

"We tightened our defense," Leet said.

No kidding. After hitting their first four shots, the Mules made just 8-of-38 the rest of the game to finish at 28.6 percent.

On the other end, Jackson shot a crisp 53.7 percent (22-of-41).

"I felt like we handled their pressure well and got the ball inside," Scott said. "I felt like we played really well."

Jackson's Spencer Goodman pulls down his own rebound during the first half against Poplar Bluff on Friday, February 22, 2008. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Poplar Bluff's top scorer, 6-5 sophomore Jay Raulston, had eight first-quarter points, but managed only five points the rest of the night.

The Mules' other big gun, 6-4 junior Riley Raulston, scored five points.

"I thought defensively we did a great job taking away what we needed to," Scott said. "Matt [Lang] did a great job on Riley."

Jackson's biggest lead was 33 points, and the Indians' starters spent much of the fourth quarter on the bench. The running clock was in play for most of the final period, which happens when one team is up by 30 points or more.

"I'm really pleased with the way we played," Scott said.

Poplar Bluff 12 7 7 6 -- 32

Jackson 13 20 24 5 -- 62

POPLAR BLUFF (32) -- Tim Nelson 2, Cory Coble 1, Cory Poteet 2, Austin Sutton 1, Chris Kilgore 1, Jay Raulston 13, Jordan Chaligo 7, Riley Raulston 5. FG 12, FT 7-16, F 20. (3-pointers: Chaligo 1. Fouled out: none)

JACKSON (62) -- Marcus Harris 4, Cody Green 3, Andrew Shrum 2, Spencer Goodman 25, Matt Lang 2, Jake Leet 18, Hunter Grantham 8. FG 22, FT 16-19, F 20. (3-pointers: Goodman 1, Leet 1. Fouled out: Grantham)