Jackson girls repeat as district champs

~ The Indians claimed the Class 5 District 1 title with a 64-36 victory over Seckman.

ARNOLD -- It looked as if it might be one of those days for the Jackson girls basketball team in the opening minutes of its MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game Friday night at Fox High School.

The Indians were held scoreless for more than 3 minutes and trailed 6-0 to Seckman. But it was smooth sailing the rest of the way as Jackson cruised to a 64-36 triumph over the Jaguars for its second consecutive district title.

Jackson will move on to the sectional round Wednesday in Farmington. The Indians will play Mehlville, which defeated Oakville 31-30 in the Class 5 District 2 title game Friday at Lindbergh High School.

"We were on pins and needles at the start of the game," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "We must have tried 15 shots before we hit anything. It looked like we were afraid. But our defensive pressure was consistent and we started to do some good things offensively once we relaxed."

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Lindsay Poole and Kelci Keith helped Jackson take a 15-13 lead after the first quarter.

Seckman's Chelsea Grimshaw hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 15-15. But Jackson went on the first of its two 12-0 runs and held the Jaguars to just two points the rest of the quarter and led 30-17 at halftime.

Three-pointers by Ashley Charbonneau and Keith in the third quarter keyed the second 12-point run to give Jackson a 40-19 lead midway through the quarter.

Seckman hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter but it was much too little and too late.

"We couldn't make anything at the start," Charbonneau said. "But coach told us to relax and we really played hard. As a senior it was so important to win this district title. We want to keep playing."

Charbonneau was one of four Jackson players to finish in double figures. She had 12 as did Keith and sophomore Ashton Howard, who both came off the bench. Poole added 11 points.

Grimshaw was the only Jaguars player to finish in double figures, scoring 11.

JACKSON 64, SECKMAN 36

Seckman 13 4 6 13 = 36

Jackson 15 15 18 16 = 64

SECKMAN (36) -- Chelsea Grimshaw 11, Lauren Grommet 9, Ari Jo Ellis 6, Marissa Lehnig 4, Tori Tyner 4, Ashley Hager 2. FG 14, FT 3-8, F 14. (3-pointers: Grommet 3, Ellis 2. Fouled out: Lehnig).

JACKSON (64) -- Ashley Charbonneau 12, Kelci Keith 12, Ashton Howard 12, Lindsay Poole 11, Cody Goodpasture 6, Amanda Peiffer 3, Allison Smith 3, Gabrielle Garritano 2, Jenni Tenholder 2, Whitney McNeely 1. FG 24, FT 9-19, F 13 (3-pointers: Poole 3, Keith 2, Smith 1, Charbonneau 1. Fouled out: none).