The high school girls basketball season got going this week with a pair of local tip-off tournaments. 

Columbia opened its 13th annual tip-off classic in style on Monday, winning 51-27 over Marquette. The Eagles led 21-2 after one quarter and never looked back. 

Jordan Holten, a junior, led the way with 19 points on the night. She averaged nearly 13 points per game last season. 

Another junior, Ava Langhans, chipped in with 13 points for Columbia, which continued tourney play at Wednesday night against Father McGivney with a 43-40 victory.

Holten had a big night for the Eagles with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Sam Schmuke chipped in with six points, eight assists and five steals on the night.

Also playing in the Columbia Tip-Off Classic is Waterloo, which opened the season Tuesday night against Carlyle. The Bulldogs lost 53-32.

Waterloo trailed 18-8 after the first quarter but was only down 19-14 at halftime. Carlyle went on a 21-7 run in the third quarter, however, removing any chance of a Bulldogs victory.

Liv Colson led the Bulldogs with 15 points, followed by Kristin Smith with 11 points.

Waterloo continues play Thursday against either Triad or Greenville. 

The tourney title game takes place 2:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Waterloo lost two of the program’s top all-time players from last season – Norah Gum and Sam Lindhorst – to graduation.

Another tip-off tournament is taking place a little bit to the north, that being the annual Dupo Cat Classic.

Dupo opened its season with a 44-15 loss to Wood River in Monday night tourney action. The Tigers took on Metro East Lutheran on Wednesday night, winning 39-36.

Other local squads playing in this tournament are Valmeyer and Gibault. 

The Pirates received a forfeit victory over Madison on Tuesday, putting them in a Thursday matchup against Roxana. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. 

Top returners for Valmeyer are seniors Brooke Miller and Kierstin Miller, who were key components of a 35-win Pirates volleyball squad this fall. 

Brooke Miller averaged 16 points and nearly 9.5 rebounds per game on the court last season. 

Gibault opened its season against Roxana on Tuesday at the Dupo tourney. The Hawks lost 34-20.

The championship game of the Dupo Cat Classic is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.