Lady Eagles win district title

The Naylor Lady Eagles are district champions and they didn't even need to break a sweat.

Naylor dropped down to Class 1 this season and there just aren't really any other teams in the area to fill a bracket. The Lady Eagles won a district championship last season in Class 2 and were state-ranked earlier this season.

"We just have a week off," Naylor coach Gene Deckard said. "I'd really like to play but we now have a week to prepare."

Deckard said his player really like to play it out but will happily take the distinction of being district champs.

"They have mixed emotions," Deckard said. "They'd like to win districts outright on the court but at the same time they are looking forward to the sectional round. If we put together a couple good games, they will celebrate on the court."

With 109 students, Naylor is one of the largest Class 1 schools, falling 22 students shy of the Class 2 cutoff.

Naylor's first playoff game will be March 10 at Poplar Bluff's Peters Gym against the District 2 champion. That district, which will be played at Bakersfield, features state-ranked teams Lesterville and Eminence.

Here's quick glance at the boy's draw. Doniphan is the only area team to win a district title last season.

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 1 The Clarkton Reindeer drew the No. 1 seed and play host starting March 2. The only other local team in this field will be Naylor, which drew the third seed and will take on Delta-Deering.

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 2 This draw, which will be played at Campbell, has two local teams in it. Campbell is tabbed at the No. 2 seed and will take on Holcomb while Neelyville will play as the fifth seed and take on Cooter. Portageville, which came into week ranked No. 3 in the state, is the No. 1 seed.

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 3 Bernie, which is ranked No. 2 in the state and won the Bloomfield Tournament, will take on Oran in the first-round. Puxico, which were district runners-up last season, will have its hands full against Saxony Lutheran as the No. 6 seed. Advance is top seed and will play host Chaffee.

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 4 Three local teams will take part in this draw. Van Buren enters as the second seed and will take on Bismarck. The Ellington Whippets are the third-seed and will take on Winona and East Carter will play as the eighth seed against top-ranked and host South Iron.

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 1 Charleston is the top seed and host in this draw while Malden enters as the seventh seed and have the tough task of taking on New Madrid County Central.

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 2 Bloomfield drew the top seed and is host while Clearwater is the No. 4 seed and will play No. 5 Doniphan. Twin Rivers is No 3. and will take on No. 6 Greenville.

CLASS 4 DISTRICT 1 Dexter drew the No. 3-seed in this field and will take on Fredericktown. Sikeston is the No. 1 seed and host the six-team field that starts next week.

CLASS 5 DISTRICT 1 Poplar Bluff sits atop the five-team field and have a first round bye. The Mules will take on the winner of Seckman and host Northwest at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Here is a glance at the girl's side. Naylor, Greenville, Van Buren and Poplar Bluff won districts last season.

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 1 This field is solid at the top with Portageville, which has just two losses on the year (both times to Dexter) are the top-seed. Campbell is the host and No. 2 seed and will wait on the winner of No. 3 Neelyville, the OFC Tournament champs, and Hayti.

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 4 Van Buren drew the No. 3 seed and the Lady Dawgs will play against host South Iron. Ellington will play Valley as the No. 4 seed and seventh-seeded East Carter will take on the No. 2 seed, Viburnum.

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 1 Malden is the lone area representative at Charleston. The Lady Green Wave will take on Dunklin County rival Kennett as the No. 7 seed.

CLASS 3 DISTRICT 2 The Greenville Lady Bears are the No. 1 seed and has a first-round bye. Greenville will play the winner of No. 4 Doniphan vs. No. 5 Clearwater. Twin Rivers is the No. 2 seed and has first round bye as well. The Lady Royals will wait out the winner of No. 3 Woodland and No. 6 Arcadia Valley.

CLASS 4 DISTRICT 1 The Dexter Lady Bearcats should enter tournament play undefeated unless they have a setback tonight against Twin Rivers. Dexter is the top-seed and will await the winner of Perryville vs. Fredericktown. This tournament will be at Sikeston starting next week.

CLASS 5 DISTRICT 1 The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules are the top seed at Northwest. The Lady Mules will await the winner of Seckman and Northwest and will play at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.