Jackson tops Notre Dame to reach final in Saint Francis Holiday Classic

The Jackson girls basketball team scored the first 15 points of the second quarter on Wednesday to blow open its semifinal game against Notre Dame in a 57-36 win in the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center.

The No. 1 Indians led just 12-8 after one quarter, but after the 15-0 run to start the second, Jackson never looked back. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs managed just six points in the quarter and trailed 34-14 by the break.

"Basketball's a game of spurts," Jackson coach Sam Sides said.

The win pushed Jackson's record to 7-0 and moved it into tonight's championship game. The Indians will face No. 3 Massac County at 8:30 p.m. Massac County defeated No. 2 Farmington 54-44 in the other semifinal.

Senior guard Kylie Werner helped spark Jackson in the second quarter with 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Werner hit four 3-pointers in the game, and finished with 16 points.

Lindsay Poole added a pair of 3-pointers for Jackson in the first half.

"We're capable of shooting the ball," Sides said. "We'll be hot and cold all year, I think, but we'll make enough to make people guard us."

Notre Dame (4-4) could find little offense. The Bulldogs managed just four first-half field goals, and just one in the second quarter.

"Nobody wanted to touch the ball," Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim said. "They had a few 3s, but most of their shots were second shots because we weren't blocking off the boards. We knew exactly what they were going to do, we just couldn't do anything about it."

Bobbie Jones led Jackson with 17 points, and Poole added 10.

Amanda Toole led Notre Dame with 11 points, and Meridith Medlin had 10. The Bulldogs will play Farmington in at 7 p.m. in the third-place game.

Other games

In the consolation bracket, No. 6 Perryville nipped No. 7 Central 45-39. Sparta, the fifth seed, knocked off No. 8 Woodland 75-20 in the other consolation semifinal.

Krista Miesner led the Pirates (3-3) with 16 points, and Amber Hacker had 14.

Freshman center Wendi Zickfield (1-6) led Central with 19 points, and Tierra Walker had 11.

Tasha Lincoln led Woodland (3-5) with eight points.

Perryville will play Sparta at 5:30 p.m. today in the consolation final, while Central will play Woodland at 4 p.m. in the seventh-place game.

Jackson 57, Notre Dame 36

Notre Dame 8 6 13 9 -- 36

Jackson 12 22 9 14 -- 57

NOTRE DAME (36) -- Kristain Burger 7, Meridith Medlin 10, Claudia Brauss 5, Amanda Toole 11, Miranda Schlosser 3. FG 12, FT 9-17, F 16 (3-pointers: Toole 1. Fouled out: Brooke Beussink)

JACKSON (57) -- Bobbie Jones 17, Kylie Werner 16, Lindsay Poole 10, Gabrielle Garritano 8, Amanda Peiffer 6. FG 17, FT 15-19, F 18 (3-pointers: Werner 4, Poole 2. Fouled out: none)

Massac County 54, Farmington 44

Massac Co. 11 14 12 17 -- 54

Farmington 13 5 13 10 -- 44

MASSAC COUNTY (54) -- Jackie Jacobs 7, Josha Rogers 20, Destiny Mitchell 12, Hayley Hosman 2, Mallory Gentry 9, Kelsey Bradford 4. FG 19, FT 13-21, F 14 (3-pointers: Rogers 1, Mitchell 2. Fouled out: none)

FARMINGTON (44) -- Natalie Sago 5, Erin Parks 2, Briley Milfeld 8, Sydney Winslow 15, Kristen Hayes 4, Danielle Littrell 2, Jenson 4. FG 15, FT 13-19, F 17 (3-pointers: Sago 1. Fouled out: none)

Sparta 75, Woodland 20

Woodland 10 3 2 4 -- 20

Sparta 20 20 23 10 -- 75

WOODLAND (20) -- Rheanna Greer 4, Tasha Lincoln 8, Francee VanGennip 1, Cortney Glastetter 7. FG 8, FT 4-11, F 11 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

SPARTA (75) -- Lesley Holloway 2, Grace Weber 11, Kasey Claybourn 17, Jasmine Robinson 4, Nicole Peck 6, Lauren Buch 8, Bridget Holloway 9, Ashley Perry 8, Katie Gerlach 2, Liere Dancy 8. FG 33, FT 8-14, F 12 (3-pointers: Weber 1. Fouled out: none)

Perryville 45, Central 39

Central 9 9 6 15 -- 39

Perryville 15 7 10 13 -- 45

CENTRAL (39) -- Dani Gross 4, Wendi Zickfield 19, Gina Yarbrough 1, Christina Sexton 4, Tierra Walker 11. FG 15, FT 9-18, F 10 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

PERRYVILLE (45) -- Krista Miesner 16, Amber Hacker 14, Bethany Steffens 4, Annette Weibrecht 5, Alyssa Bauwens 4, Becky Bachmann 2. FG 17, FT 7-11, F 14 (3-pointers: Hacker 4. Fouled out: none)