~ The two local runners will vie for a pair of state titles today.

Juniors Rachel Kahle of Jackson and Nicole Jackson of Central have taken their seasonlong sprinting battle to Jefferson City, Mo.

Both qualified for today's finals of the 100- and 200-meter sprints in the Class 4 girls state track and field meet by passing through the preliminaries Friday.

Kahle posted the day's fastest time in the 100 at 12.29 seconds. Jackson was second in that prelim heat and third overall in 12.40 seconds.

Jackson, the state runner-up last year in the 200, had the second-best time in that event Friday -- 24.82, just 4/100ths off the top time posted by Michelle Gay of Kansas City Notre Dame de Sion. Kahle was sixth in 25.35 seconds.

Jackson had won five of the six races already this month between the two -- sweeping the 100 and 200 titles at the SEMO North Conference meet and last weekend's Class 4 sectional with Kahle the runner-up in each race. Kahle, who finished eighth in the state in the 100 last year, won that race at the Class 4 district meet on May 14, while Jackson captured the 200.

The Central girls team had six points on the board after five events on Friday.

Freshman Brittany Moreland placed fifth in the 1,600 in a time of 5:03.62. She was the only freshman in the top eight.

Junior Brianna Egbuka added a seventh-place finish in the shot put with a mark of 39 feet, 6 1/4 inches.

Central also will pick up points today from the 400-meter relay team, which had the fifth-best time in the prelims; the 800 relay team, which had the sixth-best time.

Central's Tiffany Mead finished 14th in the 400 prelims and failed to move on; and the 1,600 relay team placed 15th.

For Jackson, Kahle placed 10th in the long jump and failed to pick up any points. Amanda Peiffer was 15th in the shot put.

Class 4 boys

Central junior Tyler Terry, a state medalist last year in the triple jump, finished second in the long jump Friday by covering 22-5. Marquette's C.J. Johnson won in 22-9.

Terry will compete in the triple jump today, hoping to add to the eight points he put on the scoreboard for the Tigers.

Central's John Kipper, the school's Lou Muegge Award winner as the top senior athlete, completed his high school career with a 16th-place finish in the 3,200.

The Tigers 400 relay team was 13th in the preliminaries.

Class 3 boys

Perryville qualified eighth in the 1,600 relay with a time of 3:26.56.

The Pirates' 3,200 relay failed to move on with a 13th-place finish. Also, Josh Hayden was 13th in the 110 hurdles prelims,

Notre Dame sophomore Mark Zimmer had the 12th-best time in the 400 prelims.

Class 3 girls

Perryville junior Brittney Castleberry moved into the finals in one of her two hurdling events. She was fifth in the 100 hurdles in 15.57 but finished 11th in the 300 hurdles prelim.