The high school girls basketball season opened this week with local teams competing in a pair of tournaments.

The Columbia Tip-Off Classic saw the host squad pick up a 57-51 victory Monday night over Carlyle. The Eagles trailed 20-8 after the first quarter but stormed back in a big way to emerge victorious. Ava Mathews, just two days removed from a state volleyball title, led the way for Columbia with 19 points and six rebounds. Another Columbia volleyball star, Kinley Jany, added 15 points and six rebounds. 

Columbia continued tourney play Wednesday night against Triad, falling 54-42. Riley Bahr was the top scorer for the Eagles with 19 points. Columbia plays 1 p.m. Saturday in the third place game against Waterloo.

In other Columbia Tip-Off Classic action, Waterloo faced Father McGivney to open its season on Tuesday. The result was a 64-57 overtime victory for the Bulldogs. Waterloo led by 13 points after three quarters, only to see Father McGivney rally to tie it at the end of regulation. The Bulldogs got 13 points each from Nichole Gum, Aubrey Heck and Mallory Thompson. Heck also had eight rebounds, six assists and nine steals on the night. Thompson pulled down 14 rebounds.

Waterloo faced Belleville East in the tourney on Thursday night, falling 54-19. The Bulldogs trailed 22-6 after the first quarter and made only three field goals all game. Waterloo made 13 of 21 free throw attempts.

The Dupo Cat Classic also got under way Monday night, with both Gibault and Dupo in action. 

Gibault lost 39-37 to Marissa. The Hawks trailed 14-6 after the first quarter but battled back to make it interesting. Karmon Grohmann led the way for the Hawks with 20 points and seven rebounds. 

Dupo dropped a 40-35 contest to Wood River on Monday. The Tigers trailed by just one point entering the fourth quarter, but the Oilers outscored them 13-9 in the final frame.

Gibault faced Dupo in the tourney on Wednesday night, winning 36-14. Dupo led 1-0 after the first quarter, as neither team could make a shot in the early going. The Hawks went on a 12-3 run in the second quarter, and continued to build on that lead from there. Grohmann again led the way for Gibault with 13 points and six rebounds.

See photos from Wednesday’s game by clicking here.

The Hawks will conclude tourney play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against New Athens. Dupo will play at 10 a.m. Saturday against Metro East Lutheran.