Dexter Daily Statesman: High School Sports: Mules are Columbia bound (03/13/10)

Jerry Jarrell photo Bernie junior Jordan McGowan shoots a 3-pointer during the Mules 61-29 MSHSAA Class 2 quarterfinal win over Hayti Saturday afternoon.
[Click to enlarge]

POPLAR BLUFF -- Bernie punched its ticket to the MSHSAA Class 2 Final Four in convincing fashion.

Bernie scored the games first 11 points and the Mules never looked back in a 61-29 quarterfinal win over Hayti at Peter Gym in Polar Bluff Saturday afternoon.

Hayti didn't score its first points of the game until the 5:09 mark of the first quarter on a basket by Jerome Thomas, but the Indians could only mange four in the opening period as Bernie bolted to a 21-4 advantage. The Mules increased the lead every quarter until the mercy clock was put in motion early in the fourth quarter.

Jerry Jarrell photo Bernie senior Jake Owens drives on Hayti's Craig Rodgers during CLass 2 quarterfinal action Saturday afternoon in Poplar Bluff.
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Jake Owens led the Mules with 17 points, including three of Bernie's five 3-pointers for the game. Jake Welch and Jordan McGowan both finished in double figures with 11.

It is the first trip to the Final Four for Bernie since the 1988-89 season, when the Mules finished second.

The Class 2 Championship bracket has Bernie now playing Thursday in the Hearnes Center on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia.

Jerry Jarrell photo Bernie's Sammy Walker pump fakes two Hayti defenders before putting up a shot during Class 2 quarterfinal action Saturday afternoon in Poplar Bluff. Bernie earn a trip to the final four with a 61-29 win over the Indians. [Click to enlarge]
Look for more on the game and the MSHSAA playoffs in Tuesday's edition of the Daily Statesman.

MSHSAA Class 2 Quarterfinals

At Peters Gym, Poplar Bluff

Bernie 61 Hayti 29

Hayti	4	11	8	6	--	29
Bernie	21	13	24	13	--	61

HAYTI -- (fg-ftm-fta-tp) Williams 2-1-3-5, Norris 1-0-2-2, Abbott 4-0-0-8, Thomas 2-1-3-5, Clay 0-2-2-2, West 3-1-2-7. Totals: 12-5-12-29.

BERNIE -- Shipman 1-2-2-5, Welch 5-1-4-11, Owens 6-2-2-17, S. Walker 2-1-2-5, Smith 3-2-4-8, McGowan 2-6-6-11, J. Walker 1-2-2-4. Totals: 20-16-22-61.

3-Pointers: Hayti 0: Bernie 5 (Owens 3, McGowan 1, Shipman 1).