LADY INDIANS GET EARLY JUMP ON NERINX HALL

ST. LOUIS -- The Jackson Lady Indians displayed the killer instinct Saturday afternoon against Nerinx Hall.

The Lady Indians also didn't waste any time to show it in a 69-45 victory.

Jackson outscored the host 26-6 in the first quarter and was never threatened thereafter. Jackson, ranked No. 3 in Missouri Class 4A, improved to 14-1 with the victory.

Christa Millham led Jackson with 18 points while Melissa Palmer and Chrissi Glastetter each added 13.

"I'm glad the road trips to St. Louis are over," said Jackson coach Ron Cook. "But I hope we make a few more down the road after districts. We have to take it one game at a time, but we're playing pretty good right now."

Jackson returns to action Monday when Perryville visits.

Perryville 63, Chester 46

CHESTER, Ill. -- Early defensive pressure staked Perryville to a 20-9 first-quarter lead Saturday and the Lady Pirates cruised the rest of the way to win their eighth in a row.

Perryville senior Laura Ernst scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the first quarter as the Lady Pirates improved to 14-4.

"We pressed early in the game and Laura got a lot of steals," said Perryville coach Vicki Lohmann. "It was nice to see her come out and shoot the ball like she did. She played like a senior should."

Teammates Renee Kaempfe and Amy Verseman added 10 points each.

Perryville 62, Chester 61, OT

CHESTER, Ill. -- Perryville rallied from a 19-4 first quarter deficit to eventually beat Chester in overtime on the road Saturday.

"We came out terrible," said first-year Perryville coach Dean Lewis. "I nearly passed out I was so mad."

Lewis and the Pirates eventually settled down to improve their record to 10-8.

Said Lewis: "After that run we just beared down defensively."

Perryville outscored Chester 16-11 in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 30-20. The Pirates then took the lead in the third quarter, outscoring Chester 14-2 in the period for a 34-32 lead.

Chester moved ahead in the fourth quarter and led late, but Joel Heuring's 3-pointer -- his only points of the game -- sent the game into overtime.

Paul Weinkein led the Pirates with 31 points, including seven in overtime.