Notre Dame, Farmington will play for Holiday title

Alex Fowler jumpstarted Notre Dame's run to its second straight Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic championship game.

Which came as no surprise to Notre Dame coach Renee Peters.

"Alex is our senior captain," Peters said. "Her leadership is important to us.

"She loves the game. It shows out there."

Fowler scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the first half as the top-seeded Bulldogs routed No. 5 Sparta (Ill.) 55-31 on Monday night.

The semifinal victory in the eight-team girls basketball tournament at the Show Me Center vaulted Notre Dame into tonight's title contest.

The Bulldogs will play Farmington at 8:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year's championship matchup won by Notre Dame.

Second-seeded Farmington beat No. 3 Jackson 55-38 in Monday's other semifinal.

"It's a tough tournament," Fowler said. "I think everybody is really excited we got here [to the final] again."

Fowler, a 5-foot-9 guard, scored seven first-quarter points — including an early 3-point basket — as the Bulldogs (6-1) led all the way.

"Alex was on fire," said Jane Morrill, Notre Dame's talented 6-foot junior center. "When she's shooting well, it opens up the inside."

Sophomore guard Allyson Bradshaw scored 13 points for Notre Dame, while Morrill added 12.

"I thought we played really well," Fowler said. "We passed really well. We've been working on that."

Notre Dame scored the game's first six points and was never seriously threatened, although Sparta hung tough most of the way.

Sparta (8-3) trailed just 19-14 late in the second quarter, but Notre Dame closed the period with an 8-0 run to lead 27-14.

The Bulldogs steadily pulled away in the final half.

"They're scrappy," Peters said of Sparta, which was led by sophomore center Jessica Robinson's 19 points.

Despite the lopsided victory, Peters said the Bulldogs have plenty of room for improvement.

"We were a little bit off tonight," she said. "We have the tools, it's just a matter of putting it together. But it wasn't for a lack of effort. They're working hard."

Added Peters: "We're happy to be back in the finals."

Morrill agreed.

"It's a pretty good feeling," she said. "We want to go out and do it again."

Fowler and her teammates expect a major challenge in tonight's rematch against Farmington.

"We're going to have to come with our 'A' game," Fowler said. "But I think we can do it."

Farmington 55, Jackson 38

Farmington also led the entire way in its semifinal, although a young Jackson squad showed flashes of promise for the future.

The Knightettes (6-1) scored the game's first five points and built an early 10-2 lead.

Farmington threatened to blow Jackson out of the Show Me Center when the Knightettes opened up a 24-8 advantage early in the second quarter.

But the Indians finished the half with a 6-0 burst to pull within 24-14 at the break.

Jackson got as close as 26-19 in the third quarter, but Farmington answered with an 11-1 spurt to lead 37-20. The Knightettes remained in control the rest of the way.

Taylor Jensen, a quick senior guard who caused havoc in Farmington's press all night, paced the winners with 15 points.

Jackson (2-4) got nine points from both freshman guard Dru Haertling and junior guard Kaylen Knepp.

Notre Dame 55, Sparta 31

Sparta68116—31

Notre Dame14131612—55

SPARTA (31) — Rachel Peck 3, Jessica Robinson 19, Kordelia Claybourn 2, Jackie Robinson 4, Taylor Martin 3. FG 11, FT 8-11, F 10. (3-pointers: Peck 1. Fouled out: none)

NOTRE DAME (55) — Alex Fowler 16, Katherine Blasiney 4, Allyson Bradshaw 13, Jane Morrill 12, Meghan Dohogne 6, Brooke Bohnert 4. FG 23, FT 4-5, F 12. (3-pointers: Fowler 1, Bradshaw 1. Fouled out: none)

Farmington 55, Jackson 38

Jackson591311—38

Farmington12121714—55

JACKSON (38) — Dru Haertling 9, Kaylen Knepp 9, Connor King 2, Chelsea Bartels 4, Cassandra Bollinger 2, Jordan Smith 4, Ashten Howard 2, Whitney McNeely 6. FG 13, FT 9-12, F 17. (3-pointers: Haertling 1, McNeely 2. Fouled out: none)

FARMINGTON (55) — Brittany Gladbach 4, Erin Littrell 12, Molly Barnes 13, Taylor Jensen 15, Morgan Ankrom 7, Whitney Heuring 2. FG 17, FT 18-21, F 14. (3-pointers: Littrell 2, Jensen 1. Fouled out: none)