~ The Indians took seventh, ending their streak of top-four finishes.

Jake Glore has been Blake Peiffer's nemesis on the wrestling mat the past two years.

Peiffer almost turned the tables Saturday night, but the Jackson High School senior fell just a bit short.

Peiffer dropped a tense 2-1 decision to Glore -- a Seckman senior -- in the 215-pound championship match of the 34th annual Tiger Classic high school wrestling tournament.

"It was a great match and Blake almost got him this time," Jackson coach Steve Wachter said.

Jackson's Michael Riney, left, lost to DeSoto's Jeremy Elless in their 189-pound fifth-place match at the Tiger Classic on Saturday. (Kit Doyle)

In three previous matches against Glore, Peiffer suffered a pin every time, including once earlier this year in the finals of the Parkway South tournament.

That stood as Peiffer's lone loss of the season as he entered Saturday's match 19-1, while Glore was 18-0.

The title bout at the Cape Girardeau Central Junior High School gymnasium lived up to those records.

Neither wrestler could get the other off his feet during a first period that ended scoreless.

Glore started on top in the second period, but Peiffer managed a quick escape for a 1-0 lead. The grapplers remained upright the remainder of the period.

Peiffer began the final period on top and nearly put Glore on his back.

"It was right on the edge," Peiffer said of potential back points.

But the stout Glore narrowly avoided being turned and finally, with about 30 seconds remaining, reversed Peiffer for two points and a 2-1 advantage.

Peiffer nearly sent the match to overtime with a late escape, but Glore still had control of one of Peiffer's legs as the buzzer sounded.

"Blake was a lot closer [to Glore] this time. He's really improving," Wachter said.

Other than not being able to squeeze out a victory, Peiffer had few complaints about his performance.

"I'm glad I made it all three [periods] this time," said Peiffer, who finished third in last year's Tiger Classic. "I can't complain about it. I just wish it would have gone a little different.

"It boosts my confidence for next time."

And there figures to be another time or two between the returning state qualifiers.

Peiffer said Jackson and Seckman will compete together in another tournament later in the season, then the schools are also paired in the same district.

Counting the state meet, which both figure to reach, Peiffer and Glore could square off three more times this year.

"They've had some real tough matches and I'm sure they'll meet again," Wachter said.

Peiffer's runner-up showing highlighted Jackson's performance in the rugged 20-team meet that marked the first time the Indians have finished outside the top four since 1989.

The Indians wound up seventh with 222 1/2 points.

"We're just pretty young and inexperienced," said Wachter, whose squad was second last year and captured titles in 2003 and 2004. "We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Jackson had fourth-place finishes from Levi Rayburn (103), Clay Rouse (112) and Doug Froemsdorf (125).

Justin Miller (152) was fifth, Michael Riney (189) placed sixth and Adam Kirchdorfer (145) was eighth.

Rayburn and Riney are freshmen, while Rouse is a sophomore.

"I thought we had some good performances," Wachter said.

Host Central placed 14th with 144 points.

The Tigers, who have no seniors, were led by a fifth-place finish from junior Zach Wilson (160).

Placing sixth were sophomore Desmond Howard (119) and freshman Kevin Flesher (152), while sophomore heavyweight Trey Grovener was seventh.

"For where we're at with our age and inexperience, I think we did well," first-year Central coach James Brake said. "Zach Wilson was our only seed, and he finished where he was seeded.

"I think we wrestled above what we were supposed to."

Two-time defending champion Northwest of House Springs gained its third straight title, but had to share the crown with Fort Zumwalt North.

The team championship ended in a tie for the first time as the leaders both totaled 300 1/2 points.

Tiger Classic

Team results -- 1. (tie) Northwest-House Springs 300.5, Fort Zumwalt North 300.5; 3. Seckman 286; 4. Eureka 260; 5. CBC (Memphis, Tenn.) 258; 6. Mehlville 229; 7. Jackson 222.5; 8. Ste. Genevieve 200.5; 9. Francis Howell North 194; 10. Fox 180; 11. McCluer North 164.5; 12. Marquette 159; 13. Poplar Bluff 150; 14. Cape Central 144; 15. De Soto 135; 16. St. Charles 134.5; 17. Pattonville 112; 18. Bolten (Tenn.) 110; 19. Sikeston 53; 20. Dexter 42.

Championship matches

103 -- Cody Orr (Fort Zumwalt North) dec. Jared Glose (Francis Howell North) 8-3.

112 -- Daniel Baucke (CBC) dec. Tyler Stahlman (Northwest) 9-8.

119 -- Nick Costa (Mehlville) dec. Alex Johnson (CBC) 9-4.

125 -- Devon Fenstermaker (Seckman) dec. J.J. Rallo (Fort Zumwalt North) 7-3.

130 -- Tim Samples (Pattonville) dec. Gary Schenz (Ste. Genevieve) 11-8.

135 -- Nick Lester (Eureka) pinned Matt Chandler (Northwest) 2:41.

140 -- Jake Waterkotte (Northwest) maj. dec. Nick Laver (Mehlville) 9-1.

145 -- Matt Lester (Eureka) dec. Herb Krischke (Northwest) 7-0.

152 -- Jeff Shell (Francis Howell North) technical fall Ben Fowler (Northwest) 20-5.

160 -- John Vogt (Ste. Genevieve) dec. Todd Porter (Northwest) 7-2.

171 -- Matt Espey (Fort Zumwalt North) pinned Gavilan Bland (Sikeston) 5:26.

189 -- Kevin Knopf (McCluer North) pinned Paul Sweeney (Poplar Bluff) 3:20.

215 -- Jake Glore (Seckman) dec. Blake Peiffer (Jackson) 2-1.

HWT -- Jay Casey (Eureka) dec. Ben Kayser (Fort Zumwalt North) 10-9 OT.