SIKESTON -- The Class 3A District 1 girls basketball tournament will take place at the Sikeston Field House next week, beginning on Monday and finishing up with the championship game on Friday.
Once again Doniphan has picked up the top seed and has received the first-round bye. For the last four years, the Donnettes have dominated the district. But this year the race for the title appears to be wide open.
Earlier in the year Doniphan struggled with two district opponents, beating Dexter by two and Perryville by one. Fredericktown comes in with the best record, but lost to Perryville on Monday night. Sikeston is seeded fifth, and played Dexter to two points.
"Everybody seems to have around 14 to 18 victories with four or five losses," said Dexter head coach Gavin Miller. "It's going to be a real competitive district. I think seeds one through six all have the capability of winning the district."
Doniphan head coach Jimbo Blackwell is hoping his program's strong tradition in the district will result in a fifth straight title.
They will face the winner of a Perryville-Sikeston game on Wednesday in the second round.
"I think having the first-round bye is an advantage for us," said Blackwell. "We're down a little bit this year, and the district is more evenly-balanced than it has been in the past. (The bye) gives us more time to prepare."
Doniphan started the season 13-1, but has since run into the meat of their schedule. In the last three weeks, the Donnettes have lost two games to Poplar Bluff, one to Jackson, one to Cape Central, two to Twin Rivers and one to Notre Dame.
"The results don't show it, but we've played well this week," said Blackwell. "We went through a little lull in January, but I think the girls are playing better now. They're excited about the opportunity to repeat."
Brandi Cox is Doniphan's leading scorer, averaging 20 points per game. Christy Kennon is averaging 12 a game and sophomore Janna Mobley is putting up around 10.
The Donnettes are 15-8.
Fredericktown has been seeded second in this year's tournament. The Lady Blackcats have been the top team in the Mineral Area this year, compiling a record of 18-7.
Nickey Tucker leads the offense, averaging 18 points per game. Megan Brown is putting up 12 a game.
Fredericktown will face seventh-seeded New Madrid County Central in the first round Monday at 8 p.m.
Dexter is the No. 3 seed. The Lady Bearcats set a school record for wins this year with a mark of 16-6, and hope this season of firsts results in a district championship.
"I think we're right where we need to be," said Miller.
"We're happy with our seed. We've always been the last seed in that district, so we're just happy our program is improving. Getting the third seed means a lot to the girls."
Katie Dunlap leads the team, averaging 15 points per game.
Amy Rose is averaging just under 10 points per game, putting in three treys on average. The Lady Bearcats are young, starting a freshman, a sophomore and three juniors.
"We think we have a chance to win this thing if we play well," said Miller. "Our key is playing good defense. We can't outscore other teams, we have to play (Lennies) McFerren-style basketball. We have to win with defense."
Dexter ended the season giving up just 39 points per game. The Lady Bearcats will take on sixth-seeded Kennett (14-9) in the first round Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Perryville has been seeded fifth. The Lady Pirates are 13-8 on the year, after losing to Cape Central last night.
Sophomore April Lorenz is averaging 17 points per game.
Senior Amanda Nuyt averages just 10, but scored 46 points in a single game this year, hitting a state-record 14 three-pointers on the night.
Perryville will face Sikeston in the first round Monday at 5 p.m.
Sikeston is seeded fifth and has been a huge surprise with its young lineup, compiling a record of 14-9.
The Lady Bulldogs start just one senior and offer up a good blend of size, athleticism and outside shooters.
Sharpshooter Jennifer Medlin is the team's biggest offensive threat. "If we're not up to the challenge by now, we're never going to be," said Sikeston coach Lee Brooks. "We have got to be mentally prepared, because we're not a team known for winning that first-round game. If we can get past Perryville, I feel we can do some damage in the tournament."
Kennett is seeded sixth with a record of 14-9 and NMCC has been seeded seventh with a mark of 5-16. Sarah Newingham leads the Lady Eagles, averaging eight points per game.