TOP 'DOGS: ND GIRLS STAKE CLAIM TO DISTRICT CROWN 41-22

BLOOMFIELD -- For a quarter, it seemed quite possible.

At halftime, an upset win still was within reach.

Then came the eight minutes that Randal White likely will remember for a long while -- and would just as soon forget.

Notre Dame High's girls basketball team held Scott City scoreless in the third period and went on to win Friday's Class 2A, District 2 Tournament championship game 41-22 at Bloomfield High School.

Notre Dame will meet East Carter County Wednesday at Cape Girardeau Central's Tiger Fieldhouse in a rematch of last year's sectional contest. East Carter beat Sentah-Hornersville 70-59 in a district championship game Friday night.

After trailing 7-5 after one quarter, Notre Dame (21-7) led 21-15 at halftime.

Then it happened.

"In the third quarter we came out and threw the ball away, trying to pass about shoulder-high against a zone (defense)," said White, Scott City's coach. "We know better than that. I have no explanation for it."

Scott City managed just one shot in the period while turning the ball over eight times.

"We went to a half-court trap, and that really did a good job for us," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim. "I think we wore 'em out some. I don't think that they were ready for the pressure the whole game. It was a team effort."

"Our defense in the second half really picked up," said Notre Dame senior forward Rachael Schlosser, the only Lady Bulldog who scored in double figures (11 points). "It definitely was (one of our better quarters this season defensively). We just took the ball away because the third quarter is always our quarter. We were really pleased."

Said White: "It wasn't anything to write home about, was it."

That also applied to Notre Dame's offense. The Lady Bulldogs made 1 of 9 attempts from the field in the frame and scored three points.

But that meant little to Grim -- leading 24-15 entering the final quarter, the Lady Bulldogs outscored Scott City 17-7 from there.

"When (Scott City) went man-to-man in that fourth quarter, we really capitalized on it," Grim said.

Jennifer Glueck had eight points for Notre Dame. Scott City's Amy O'Brien had eight points and Jessica Dees added six.

Scott City (20-6) showed different defenses in the first quarter -- which prevented Notre Dame from getting its offense going -- and led 7-5 entering the second quarter.

"We were trying to switch up our defense a little bit," White said. "I was pleased with the first half. I thought we executed pretty good in the first half."

Notre Dame moved the ball around well and scored 16 points in the second quarter.

"I was proud of the girls for staying patient," Grim said. "I know the first quarter especially had to be frustrating for them. We knew we needed to be patient on offense and not force things. They're a good defensive team."

Scott City was without Becca Gowin, who averages double figures. White said his team averages about 18 more points a game with Gowin in the lineup, and no one was able to pick up the slack Friday.