BLUFF, JACKSON POST CLASSIC BLOWOUTS

Most people are expecting some extremely close and exciting games this week during the fifth annual HealthSouth Holiday Classic.

The eight-team high school girls basketball tournament at the Show Me Center still figures to feature some thrillers, but that certainly wasn't the case Tuesday night during the event's opening two contests.

Three-time defending tourney champion and No. 1 seed Poplar Bluff, which placed second in last year's Class 4A state tournament, began things by pulling away from stubborn but outmanned No. 8 seed Perryville 63-38.

Then third-seeded Jackson, which struggled through an unusually average season last year but looks to be back up again, totally dominated sixth-seeded Massac County (Ill.) in the first half and coasted to a 65-29 victory.

The final two first-round games will be played today, with fourth-seeded Cape Girardeau Central meeting No. 5 Farmington at 3 p.m. and No. 2 Notre Dame taking on No. 7 Hopkinsville (Ky.) at 4:30 p.m.

Poplar Bluff and Jackson both advance to Thursday night's semifinals, where the competition figures to get a whole lot stiffer.

"It's going to get a whole lot tougher," said Jackson coach Ron Cook, whose team improved its record to 4-0.

Said Poplar Bluff coach Kirk Chronister, whose squad is now 7-1, "It's a fine tournament. We know it's going to be tough (the rest of the way). Somebody will have to play three good games to win it."

Perryville, which fell to 3-3 and into Thursday's consolation semifinals, put up a strong challenge in the first half against Chronister's Lady Mules, trailing just 25-17 at the intermission.

But the Lady Mules were too much in the second half, outscoring the Lady Pirates 19-10 in the third quarter and 19-11 in the final period.

"I give credit to Perryville. They definitely gave us some problems in the first half," Chronister said. "The second half was a little better. I think we picked up the intensity."

Nicole Rivers scored 15 points to lead the Lady Mules while Jessica Wilson added 14 points.

Stacy Baer paced the Lady Pirates with 11 points.

"I thought we played a good half, but we couldn't keep it up in the second half," said Perryville coach Vicki Lohmann.

Jackson played an exceptional first half in destroying a Massac County team that entered the contest with an 8-1 record. But it didn't take long to realize that the Lady Patriots would be saddled with their second loss of the season.

Massac County got the game's first basket but then Jackson took control with a swarming full-court press that forced one turnover after another.

Jackson jumped to a 23-5 lead after one quarter and went ahead 48-16 by halftime. With the outcome decided, Cook was able to clear his bench in the second half.

"We looked good that first half," said Cook. "Our press did the job. That was the difference in the game. We kept the heat on and the girls did a good job.

"But we have to learn to keep the intensity up in the second half, even if the game is already over."

Jenna Leet and Andrea Koeper led the Lady Indians with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The Lady Patriots, who will play in Thursday's consolation semifinals, got 11 points from Sarah Buldtman.