Jackson girls extend winning streak to 11

The Jackson girls basketball team began the season by losing three of its first four games, with all the defeats coming against some of the top teams in the St. Louis area.

But ever since then it's been smooth sailing for the Indians, who held off visiting Dexter 58-53 Monday night for their 11th straight win.

Jackson improved to 12-3, including 5-0 in the SEMO Conference heading into Thursday's league showdown at Notre Dame. Dexter fell to 13-4, 3-1 in the league.

"The three teams we lost to [Berkeley, Lutheran South and Belleville East] are all really good teams," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "Now we're playing pretty well, and we just want to keep improving."

Jackson's only victory in its first four games -- it actually came in the Indians' season opener -- was 56-43 over Dexter in the Farmington tournament.

That contest was competitive and Sides expected the same thing Monday. He got that and more.

Despite leading by 12 points late in the first half and by 10 points at the intermission, the Indians had to scratch and claw to hold off the determined Bearcats, who grabbed a pair of second-half leads.

"We had a good start and a good fourth quarter, and we kind of hung on," Sides said. "Dexter is a good team and in the third quarter they just outworked us."

Dexter scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to open up its biggest lead of the night, 43-40.

Junior guard Kelci Keith hit consecutive 3-pointers to cap an 8-0 run as the Indians surged ahead 48-43.

But Dexter again battled back, scoring five straight points to pull into a 48-48 tie with under five minutes remaining.

Senior guard Andrea Barnes drained a 3-pointer with 4:10 left -- it was her only points of the game -- to put Jackson back on top 51-48.

Although things would not be easy for the Indians, they never lost the lead after Barnes' shot, which was one of seven 3-pointers Jackson made in the contest, including three in the final period.

"We struggled to shoot the ball in the third quarter, but I've got too many good shooters for that and we finally hit a few in the fourth quarter," Sides said.

Dexter got as close as 51-50, but Jackson used strong free-throw shooting to ice the victory.

The Indians scored their final seven points from the foul line, missing just once. Junior guard Cody Goodpasture hit four of four, including two with 2:13 remaining that put Jackson up 53-50.

Senior guard Ashley Charbonneau made two free throws at the 1:39 mark for a 55-50 advantage.

After junior guard Lindsay Pool hit one of two foul shots with 35 seconds left, Dexter made a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to stay alive at 56-53.

Goodpasture iced the victory as her two free throws with 12 seconds to play marked the night's final scoring.

"We made our free throws at the end, which was big," Sides said.

Poole, senior center Amanda Peiffer and senior forward Gabrielle Garritano all scored 10 points to lead Jackson's balanced offensive attack.

Poole hit three 3-pointers in the second quarter to help the Indians open up a 32-22 halftime lead.

Charbonneau had nine points, Keith eight and Goodpasture seven.

Haylee Finch led Dexter with 17 points, Amanda Dooley had 14 and Ashlee Taylor added 10.

Jackson 58, Dexter 53

Dexter 14 8 17 14 -- 53

Jackson 16 16 8 18 -- 58

DEXTER (53) -- Amanda Dooley 14, Brooke Thrower 2, Katelyn Heil 5, Jill Temples 4, Haylee Finch 17, Ashlee Taylor 10. FG 19, FT 12-16, F 14 (3-pointers: Dooley 2, Taylor 1. Fouled out: none)

JACKSON (58) -- Andrea Barnes 3, Cody Goodpasture 7, Lindsay Poole 10, Gabrielle Garritano 10, Ashley Charbonneau 9, Kelci Keith 8, Jenni Tenholder 1, Amanda Peiffer 10. FG 21, FT 9-13, F 14 (3-pointers: Barnes 1, Poole 3, Charbonneau 1, Keith 2. Fouled out: none)

JV -- Jackson won 58-12.