LADY BULLDOGS RIP LADY RAMS

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Notre Dame High girls basketball team stormed into the championship game of the Class 2A, District 2 Tournament Wednesday night as the top-seeded Lady Bulldogs rolled past fourth-seeded Scott City 75-37.

Notre Dame, the state's No. 1 ranked 2A squad, will face third-seeded Charleston in Friday's 6:30 p.m. title contest at Bloomfield.

Charleston (19-5) moved into the finals by knocking off second-seeded Kelly (22-5) in Wednesday's other semifinal. No final score or details were available at press time.

The Lady Bulldogs, who improved to 23-3, built a 42-24 halftime lead and broke the game wide open with a 21-7 third-quarter edge.

Lisa Millham paced the Lady Bulldogs offensively with 19 points. Ashley Millham, Courtney Vickery and Deana McCormick all added 16 points.

"I thought we were a little sloppy on defense in the first half, but we played a pretty decent second half," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim.

Freshman sensation Loren Groves scored a game-high 26 points for Scott City, which ends its fine season with a 19-8 record.

"Our girls played extremely hard, but Notre Dame just has an outstanding ballclub," said Scott City coach Randy White. "We've got a young team, but I thought we had a very good season."

Friday's championship game will be a rematch of a contest played late in the season and won by Notre Dame 73-42. But Grim warned that the Lady Bulldogs cannot take Charleston lightly.

"You don't take anybody lightly at this time of the year," Grim said.

Meanwhile, tonight's highly anticipated district boys semifinals will feature top-seeded Charleston against No. 4 Kelly at 6:30 and No. 2 Notre Dame against No. 3 Scott City at 8.

BOYS BASKETBALL

New Madrid 78, De Soto 66

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Defending Class 3A state champion New Madrid County Central rolled into the quarterfinals by winning a sectional game.

Dereke Tipler poured in 32 points for the Eagles (20-7), who will play Borgia Saturday night at the Farmington Civic Center.

Ronland Ranson added 17 points for the Eagles and Byron Minner scored 12.

In the sectional girls game, Doniphan moved into the state quarterfinals by upending Park Hills Central 65-50.