JAYS HAND WOODLAND 1ST LOSS

If Charleston High's feverish second half in its University High School Christmas Tournament quarterfinal game Monday shed any light on the team's condition, the Blue Jays' wings have indeed not been clipped.

Charleston, an unusually low No. 4 seed in this year's tournament, has heard the naysayers. Now, with their 55-25 victory over previously undefeated Woodland, the No. 5 seed, the Blue Jays are out to prove them wrong.

"We played a tremendous game," Charleston coach Danny Farmer said. "I know there's a bunch of people that doubted us, and a lot of people thought we would lose this game tonight.

"But we're competitive. We can compete with anybody."

The next step in Charleston's quest for respect takes place tonight when the Blue Jays meet another unbeaten squad, top seed Scott City, at 9 in a semifinal clash.

An energized Charleston (4-5) stormed out after halftime as Woodland wilted and failed to get on track offensively.

The Blue Jays outscored the Cardinals 18-2 in the third quarter; Woodland didn't score until C.W. Stacy's jumper with four seconds remaining in the period.

Charleston's Larry Mitchell and Terrance Gillespie each scored six points -- Gillespie's came on a pair of 3-pointers -- in the deciding quarter and Travis Kent added four.

Gillespie, a 5-foot-11 junior, totaled 15 points and Jeff Ewing, a 6-1 senior, finished with a game-high 16 points.

"We turned it up in the second half," Farmer said. "I can't say enough. We played hard.

"We haven't been putting together four quarters, and now we're beginning to put together four quarters."

Woodland's offense was off-kilter the whole game, and the Cardinals scored no more than nine points in any quarter.

The Cardinals' David Massa, who scored 30 points in Woodland's first-round win over Bell City, was limited to seven points, which paced the team.

"They (Charleston) were the aggressors tonight," said Woodland coach Jennings Wilkinson, whose team slipped to 8-1. "When you keep coming up empty on the offensive end over and over, the defense eventually lets down."

Charleston led the duration of a slow first half, but by no more than five points in the first quarter. The Blue Jays carried a 21-14 lead into halftime.

Farmer said he views tonight's game against Jon Beck and the 9-0 Rams as a test.

"We have a challenge (tonight)," Farmer said. "They have five or six people who can put it in the hole, and we're just going to try to contain them."