Jackson, ND reach Holiday Classic semis

There was only one competitive first-round game in the St. Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic.

Cape Girardeau Central came up on the short end of that contest Monday as the 14th annual eight-team girls high school basketball tournament tipped off at the Show Me Center.

Fifth-seeded Sparta, Ill., slipped past the fourth-seeded Tigers 51-48.

The other three games were monumental mismatches as Notre Dame, Jackson and Farmington all romped.

Top-seeded Notre Dame routed No. 8 Saxony Lutheran 60-25; No. 3 Jackson crushed No. 6 Perryville 64-21; and No. 2 Farmington, the defending champion, ripped No. 7 Woodland 67-30.

Sparta defender Jessica Robinson blocks a shot by Central's Crystal Vinson during their first-round game Monday at the St. Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center. (Kit Doyle)

There will be four more games today, including the semifinals featuring Notre Dame vs. Sparta at 7 p.m. and Jackson vs. Farmington at 8:30.

Sparta 51, Central 48

This one was close from start to finish with nine ties, 10 lead changes and no advantage larger than six points.

Central coach Sherri Sherrill was disappointed after the Tigers (4-3) lost to the Bulldogs (9-0) in the opening round for the second straight year.

"I was a little disappointed in our overall effort, especially the defensive effort on our press," Sherrill said. "We had some defensive breakdowns."

Central had no answer for Sparta's Jessica Robinson, a 5-foot-11 junior who dominated inside with 20 points, 15 rebounds and several blocks.

"We had a hard time handling her," Sherrill said.

The Tigers received a strong performance from Chelsea Pannier, their own 5-11 junior who hit three 3-pointers and scored 19 points.

"She had a good game," Sherrill said. "She's been in a shooting slump so it was good to see her come out of it."

Senior Machaela Durham added 14 points for the Tigers.

Central, down 29-26 at halftime, led 40-39 entering the fourth quarter.

Pannier scored all of the Tigers' points during a 6-2 run to open the final period that put Central ahead 46-41 for its biggest margin of the game.

Five straight Sparta points forged a 46-46 tie. Central held one more lead, 48-46 with two minutes remaining, but went scoreless the rest of the way.

A layup by Kordelia Claybourn with 30 seconds left put Sparta up 50-48. Robinson hit one of two free throws with 10 seconds left to make it 51-48 and Pannier was well off on a 3-point attempt just before the buzzer.

Sparta 10 19 10 12 -- 51

Central 6 20 14 8 -- 48

SPARTA (51) -- Rachel Peck 6, Jessica Robinson 20, Jade Vaughn 6, Kordelia Claybourn 13, Jackie Robinson 4, Taylor Martin 2. FG 21, FT 9-17, F 12. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

CENTRAL (48) -- Allie Hardesty 2, Sadie Pittman 8, Crystal Vinson 1, Chelsea Pannier 19, Paige Smith 4, Machaela Durham 14. FG 20, FT 5-9, F 16. (3-pointers: Pannier 3. Fouled out: Farrah Malik)

Notre Dame 60, Saxony Lutheran 25

Notre Dame, which dropped an overtime decision to Farmington in last year's championship game, built a 35-12 halftime lead.

Jane Morrill, a 6-1 senior center who has already signed with Division I Arkansas State, powered the Bulldogs (6-1) with 19 points.

Senior Meghan Dohogne and junior Allyson Bradshaw both added 12 points for the Bulldogs.

"We look forward to this tournament every year," Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said. "I thought we did a good job on defense. I was pleased overall."

Junior Brooke Valleroy led Saxony (1-3) with 12 points.

Saxony 4 8 9 4 -- 25

Notre Dame 22 13 18 7 -- 60

SAXONY LUTHERAN (25) -- Brooke Valleroy 12, Regan Obermann 1, Julia Steffens 2, Angel Stone 2, Abby Hartmann 4, Natalie Mueller 2, Lauren Hecht 2. FG 11, FT 3-4, F 13. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

NOTRE DAME (60) -- Katherine Blasiney 5, Lacey Boeller 4, Allyson Bradshaw 12, Jane Morrill 19, Brooke Bohnert 7, Meghan Dohogne 12, Kaelin Hale 1. FG 27, FT 6-15, F 8. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

Jackson 64, Perryville 21

Jackson's suffocating defense held Perryville to six points or fewer in every quarter. The Indians led 19-4 after one period and built on that advantage the rest of the way.

"We were disappointed after the Notre Dame game last week [a lopsided Jackson loss] and we talked about how we have to be a little more intense defensively," Jackson coach Sheila Haertling said.

Senior Kaylen Knepp and junior Makenzie Quade scored 11 points apiece to pace the Indians (4-3).

Senior Emily Hanquist led the Pirates (0-3) with seven points.

Jackson and Farmington have already met once this season, with Farmington winning by five points.

"It should be a good game," Haertling said.

Perryville 4 6 5 6 -- 21

Jackson 19 11 26 8 -- 64

PERRYVILLE (21) -- Morgan Mueller 2, Abbie Schilli 2, Megan Moldenhauer 2, Lilly Johnson 2, Emily Hanquist 7, Natalie Bauwens 6. FG 9, FT 3-6, F 17. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Hanquist)

JACKSON (64) -- Dru Haertling 5, Brooke Sanders 8, Kaylen Knepp 11, Connor King 7, Kylie Seyer 7, Danielle Daume 5, Cassandra Bollinger 6, Makenzie Quade 11, Laurie Clippard 4. FG 23, FT 13-21, F 11. (3-pointers: Knepp 2, Daume 1, Quade 2. Fouled out: none)

Farmington 67, Woodland 30

Woodland hung tough early, trailing 19-12 after one quarter. Farmington used a 25-4 second-period edge to lead 44-16 at the break and the Knightettes coasted from there.

Junior Brittany Gladbach hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points for Farmington (5-1).

Senior Taylor Steckman led the Cardinals (3-4) with 15 points.

Woodland 12 4 12 2 -- 30

Farmington 19 25 17 6 -- 67

WOODLAND (30) -- Kaitlin McCormick 2, Taylor Steckman 15, Keighlyn Lincoln 2, Sarah Lincoln 2, Lindsay Shell 1, Ashley Acup 4, Becky Brannon 4. FG 11, FT 7-10, F 10. (3-pointers: Steckman 1. Fouled out: none)

FARMINGTON (67) -- Brittany Gladbach 19, Erin Littrell 8, Tayhlor Milfeld 6, Morgan Ankrom 13, Whitney Heuring 6, Brittany Ernst 5, Rachel Williams 10. FG 27, FT 7-14, F 7. (3-pointers: Gladbach 5, Ernst 1. Fouled out: none)