JACKSON GIRLS STOP BLUFF'S CHARGE

POPLAR BLUFF -- With 12 seconds in the game, Jackson's Melissa Palmer took charge by taking one.

With her team leading 44-42, Palmer stood her ground and was knocked to the floor by Poplar Bluff's driving point guard Amy Hendricks.

Hendricks was denied the opportunity to add to her game-high 19 points. The first charge of the game was called and the Lady Indians won the Class 4A, District 1 title 46-42 in the 10th straight district championship played between Jackson and Poplar Bluff.

"I was hoping and praying (that it was a charge)," said the 5-foot-10 forward who scored 11 points. "But I knew it had to be because I tried to get a couple during the game, and they kept calling fouls on me. I was praying that they would call it a charge and they did and the crowd went crazy. I tried to get set every time, but I knew I had to get set that time because we needed the ball.

"This feels great. I hope we make it all the way to the state tournament now. That's our main goal."

Jackson, the district's top seed and ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, advances on to Wednesday's sectional game in Farmington against St. Joseph's Academy, which upset Parkway West Saturday. The Angels defeated Parkway West, ranked No. 2 in the state, 51-38 in Friday's district final. Jackson alreay owns a 74-63 victory over St. Joseph's this season.

Against No. 2 seed Poplar Bluff, it was all Jackson could do to hold on to the lead, or the ball.

Jackson (23-1) led 37-35 heading into the final period.

The Lady Indians, who captured their fifth straight tournament title and are seeking their fifth straight trip to the Final Four, turned the ball over six times in the last eight minutes and only took five shots from the floor.

The Lady Mules took a 42-41 lead with 4:46 remaining and didn't score after that.

Jackson sophomore Andrea Koeper, who finished with a team-high 12 points, tied the game by making the first of two free throws with 1:34 remaining. With :30 seconds left, Koeper, who battled a sore knee througout the game, gave Jackson a 44-42 lead on a cut to the basket. Koeper added two free throws to seal the game with :07 on the clock.

"I'm really happy with my girls," said Jackson coach Ron Cook. "(Koeper) is an outstanding athlete. If she stays healthy, you're going to hear a lot about her in the future."

Cherish Tillman, 10 points, was also in double figures for Jackson. Hendricks accounted for the bulk of Poplar Bluff's offense as no other Lady Mule scored more than seven points.

Early in the third quarter, Jackson looked to be in a comfortable lead. But the Lady Indians soon found out there is no such thing as a comfortable lead in the district playoffs.

A 33-21 lead totally disappeared as Poplar Bluff completed a 14-2 run with 1:44 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 35.

Poplar Bluff made five of six shots and forced four turnovers during that stretch to get back into the ballgame.

"Their three-quarter trap gave us some trouble," Cook said. "It seemed like we were afraid to execute.

"We've just got to loosen up a little bit. Our girls are playing on pins and needles. Instead of playing, they're worried about the outcome."

After a rusty first quarter, the Lady Indians looked like a well-oiled machine in the second and took a 29-21 lead into halftime. Jackson made three 3-pointers in the first 2:30 of the second quarter. The same chip shots that Jackson missed in the first quarter found their way into the basket in the second period.

Jackson scored 22 points in the quarter and finished the first half on a 12-4 run.

The Lady Mules had taken a 10-7 lead into the second quarter.

Chrissy Glastetter opened the game's scoring with a 3-pointer about 20 seconds into the contest. The Lady Indians, after missing 11 straight shots and turning the ball over four times, finally scored again with :58 seconds left in the first half.