CENTRAL GIRLS WIN 4A DISTRICT TRACK CROWN

POPLAR BLUFF -- Cape Central will have athletes compete in 20 events and Jackson will compete in 14 in next week's sectional after performing well in the Class 4A, District 1 Track and Field meet Saturday.

Cape Central's girls took first place with 123 points to repeat as district champions while Jackson followed with 94.

On the boys' side, Cape Central took third with 83 1/2 points and Jackson took sixth with 69. Poplar Bluff won with 150 points.

The top four athletes in every event advance to next week's sectional which will be held at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex in Cape Girardeau.

Cape Central got first-place finishes from Demetrius Totton (triple jump, 45-1 1/2), Cory Taylor (3200, 9:42.7), Jeff Thiele (Discus, 148-9 1/2), Diona Webb (100, 12.3; long jump, 17-4), Kim Pancoast (1600, 5:32.7; 800, 2:27.3) and Heather Jenkins (discus, 125-8). Cape Central also got first places from its 4x200 and 4x100 girls team.

"It was a good day," said Cape Central coach Lawrence Brookins. "We should be in full force Saturday at sectional. For the kids that we thought had a real good shot at getting through, I'd say, yeah, we got them through."

Jackson's district champions included Mario Whitney (100, 10.7; 200, 21.9), Jennifer Love (100 high hurdles, 15.2) and Heidi Jansen (shotput, 38-4). Jackson also got first places from its 4x400 girls team.

Love was a sectional qualifier in all four of her events, the 100 and 300 hurdles, the triple jump and the 4x400 relay which she anchored. And her 100 hurdle time established a new school record.

"Jennifer Love was an Ironwoman today," said Jackson coach Bob Sink. "All our kids competed real hard, even the ones who didn't place in the top four. This was the best meet we had all year."

Sink said Whitney's performance was the "darnedest thing I've ever seen. He stumbled out of the blocks and was down on all fours. He falls down, gets up and ended up winning by a couple of feet."

Whitney could match up with the defending state champion in the 100, Chucky McGee from Ladue, at next week's sectional.

For complete results, see Scoreboard.

Class 3A, District 1

BONNE TERRE -- Perryville qualified athletes in six boys events and five girls events for next week's sectional by placing in the top four at North County High School.

Andy Crannick and Becky Lankford were Perryville's lone champions. Crannick won the long jump in 21-5 and Becky Lankford won the pole vault in 8-6.

Other individuals who advanced for Perryville's team were Nathan Ruesler (fourth, 110 hurdles, 16.3; third, 300 hurdles, 42.1), Shawn Statler (third, 100, 11.8; fourth, 200, 23.8), James Boice (second, 800, 2:05.8). Perryville's 4x800 team of Nathan Moore, Jacob Schneider, Schlicthing and Boice took first in a time of 8:42.7

Katrina Bockhorn took third in the 1,600 at 5:46.8 and third in the 3,200 at 12:44.4.

The girls' 4x400 team of Rene Schlichting, Sarah Lappe, Gina Buerck and Susan Miller took second in 4:20.2. The 4x800 squad of Schlichting, Jen Brotherton, Buerck and Bockhorn took third in 10:23.1.