Jackson reaches HealthSouth final

With the top-seeded Farmington Knightettes already in the title game, Jackson's girls basketball team made quick work of No. 3 Sparta (Ill.), winning 68-37 in the semifinals of the HealthSouth Holiday Classic on Monday at the Show Me Center.

The second-seeded Indians fell behind 2-0 and then went on a 29-2 run to grab a 29-4 first-quarter lead. By halftime Jackson (7-1) was up 45-16.

Ashley Bartels led Jackson with 16 points. Linden Hahs added 10 points for Jackson, which will try to win its first HealthSouth title since 1996. Jackson got 25 points from its bench.

In the consolation bracket, Dexter overcame a sluggish start to run past Central 45-29. The Bearcats held a slim 15-11 lead after the first quarter, but then outscored the Tigers (1-7) 14-2 in the second quarter to open up a 29-13 halftime lead.

Megan McDonald scored all of Central's 13 first-half points and finished with a game-high 17. Charlotte Johnson led Dexter with 15 points, Taylor Nelson had 12 and Rachel Blunt added 10.

Dexter will meet Perryville in today's consolation final. Perryville cruised past the Central JV 56-25. Amber Hacker led Perryville with 15 points and April Lorenz had 14.

FARMINGTON 47, NOTRE DAME 45Notre Dame 9 8 16 12 -- 45

Farmington 20 10 6 11 -- 47

NOTRE DAME (45) -- Sommer McCauley 16, Sierra Ellis 9, Katie Palmer 7, Laura Weissmueller 6, Amber Karnes 5, Alana Weissmueller 2. FG 18, FT 7-11, F 13 (3-pointers: McCauley 2. Fouled out: none)

FARMINGTON (47) -- Natalie Bess 17, Katelyn Peterson 14, Natalie Hooss 4, Jessica Arnold 6, Julie Schnurbusch 2, Stefanie Johnson 2. FG 21, FT 3-4, F 10 (3-pointers: Bess 2. Fouled out: none)

JACKSON 68, SPARTA (Ill.) 37Sparta 4 12 8 13 -- 37

Jackson 29 16 13 10 -- 68

Sparta (37) -- Liere Dancy 12, Rachel Rednour 8, Kristin Bowlby 2, Lauren Buch 4, Brittni Peck 3, Kasey Claybourn 2, Katie Gerlach 2, Ashley Perry 4. FG 16, FT 4-4, F 17 (3-pointers: Peck 1. Fouled out: none)

Jackson (68) -- Ashley Bartels 16, Linden Hahs 10, Kelly Loos 5, Kate Loos 4, Jennifer Ferrell 5, Bobbie Jones 4, Kylie Werner 6, Jamie Ball 5, Loni Littlepage 2, Maria Oehl 1, Abigail Weinrich 6. FG 25, FT 12-17, F 9 (3-pointers: Bartels 1, Hahs 2, Kelly Loos 1, Ferrell 1, Ball 1. Fouled out: none)

DEXTER 45, CENTRAL 29Central 11 2 4 12 -- 29

Dexter 15 14 7 9 -- 45

CENTRAL (29) -- Megan McDonald 17, Meg Yates 6, Sonja Williams 2, Lauren Loftis 2, Jessica Johnston 2. FG 11, FT 3-6, F 5 (3-pointers: McDonald 3, Yates 1. Fouled out: none)

DEXTER (45) -- Rachel Blunt 10, Charlotte Johnson 15, Taylor Nelson 12, Mallory Kennedy 2, Natalie Hayes 2, Fallon Wicker 4. FG 20, FT 1-1, F 5 (3-pointers: Johnson 4. Fouled out: none)

PERRYVILLE 56, CENTRAL JV 25Central JV 5 8 10 2 -- 25

Perryville 23 7 16 10 -- 56

CENTRAL JV (25) -- Christina Sexton 6, Courtney Schuessler 1, Gina Yarbrough 2, Bethany Sweet 4, Kinder 12. FG 10, FT 5-7, F 11 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

PERRYVILLE (56) -- Krista Miesner 6, Amber Hacker 15, April Lorenz 14, Bethany Steffens 2, Annette Weibrecht 8, Kate Lowry 5, Samantha Lankford 6. FG 24, FT 5-6, F 10 (3-pointers: Hacker 2, Lowry 1. Fouled out: none)