JACKSON, PERRYVILLE AND KELLY SOFTBALL TEAMS TO PLAY SECTIONALS TODAY

Three area high school softball teams will look to continue the march toward state when sectional playoffs games are held today.

Jackson will face Hillsboro in a Class 4A matchup, set for a 6 p.m. start at West City Park in Festus.

Perryville will host Windsor in a 3A contest at the Perryville City Park. Game time is 4 p.m.

And Kelly will entertain Twin Rivers in a 2A battle at Kelly High School, with game time set for 4 p.m.

All of today's winners advance to Saturday's quarterfinals, with those winners qualifying for the state's final four.

Jackson (19-9) vs. Hillsboro (23-3) will be a rematch of last year's sectional game, which Jackson won 5-1 to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time ever.

Lady Indians' coach Becky Riney looks for a close game against the Lady Hawks, who defeated Jackson 4-3 early this season.

"We made six errors in that game and played about as bad as we can," said Riney. "They have a good team, with about everybody back from last year, but I feel like we can play with them, and if we play well, we should have a good shot."

Jackson won its first-ever fall district title last year and, despite losing several key players, the Lady Indians were able to repeat.

"It's hard to come back and win district two years in a row," Riney said. "I feel real proud of the kids."

Perryville also won its first-ever district title last year and was able to repeat this season despite losing four players who have gone on to compete in college.

"I feel real good about that," said Perryville coach Lynn O'Neal. "We lost a lot of good players and I thought we could be respectable again, but you just never know."

The Lady Pirates (14-14) and Lady Owls (12-12) will match .500 records, but O'Neal said that can be misleading.

"Our record is not great, but I feel like we play a real tough schedule," he said. "And Windsor probably does as well."

Windsor upset heavy favorite St. Pius -- the team that beat Perryville in last year's sectional round -- to win its district.

Perryville has beaten Windsor twice already this year, 9-6 and 5-1.

"But they have good enough pitching. We happen to have hit the ball well both days," O'Neal said. "It should be a good game."

While Jackson and Perryville are relative newcomers to playoff softball, Kelly is a seasoned veteran as the Lady Hawks have won 14 straight district titles and captured a state title in 1997.

Kelly (21-3) and Twin Rivers (16-4) met early in the season, with the Lady Hawks winning fairly handily. But Kelly coach Rhonda Evans knows better than to overlook the Lady Royals.

"We played them early in the season, and a lot can change since then," Evans said. "We know we're going to have to be ready to play a good game."

Considering that the Lady Hawks generally play a good game -- they have set the school record for wins this season -- Evans has to feel good about her team's chances.

"We've been playing well," she said. "Our pitching has been strong and we've been hitting the ball up and down the lineup."

* The Missouri State High Schools Activities Association has set the admission price for all sectional games at $5 for ages 6 and over.