JACKSON VOLLEYBALL TO FACE ST. LOUIS' BEST AT SECTIONAL

The Jackson and Woodland high school volleyball teams will attempt to take the final step to the state tournament when sectional competition is held today.

Jackson will compete in the Class 4A, Sectional 1 at Jefferson College in Hillsboro while Woodland will take part in the Class 2A, Sectional 1 at Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau.

Both sectionals consist of four teams. The champions advance to next weekend's state tourney in Warrensburg.

Jackson, despite having the best volleyball season in school history with a 29-2-2 record, definitely will have its work cut out because the Lady Indians are in an extremely loaded sectional.

The Lady Indians will face St. Joseph's Academy of St. Louis at 3 p.m. in the sectional opener. St. Joseph's (30-4) is ranked second in the St. Louis area.

Also in the sectional is Cor Jesu (31-2-4), the top-rated team in St. Louis. Cor Jesu faces Windsor at 4:30 p.m.

The sectional final is set for about 6 p.m., with the champion moving on to state.

"It's a really tough sectional," said Jackson coach Nancy Ellis. "But we'll just have to go in and play ball and not be timid. The girls have played real well all year and we'll give it our best shot."

Woodland appears to have a strong chance at winning its sectional -- although coach Tammy Brock is taking nothing for granted.

"We feel like we've got a decent chance if we play well and if we play as a team," she said. "But I think anybody could probably come out of it if they play well. It looks pretty wide open."

The Lady Cardinals, 20-11, will play Bloomfield at 2:30 p.m., following a match between South Pemiscot and Steelville at 1. The finals will be at around 4, with the winner earning a state berth.

Woodland defeated Bloomfield handily earlier in the season but Brock doesn't put much stock in that.

"Teams improve as the season goes along and evidently Bloomfield has really gotten better," she said. "You can't take anybody for granted."

Brock has missed much of the season while pregnant. She recently rejoined the squad but heaps all kinds of praise on assistant coach Emily Johnson, a former Woodland player.

"Emily has done a tremendous job with the kids," Brock said. "We've talked all season. I've been on the phone with her a lot. I couldn't have asked for anybody better to do the job."