CENTRAL ZOOMS IN OWN RELAYS

After all their running, sprinting, throwing and jumping Saturday, Cape Central's track athletes simply stood ... above all the rest.

The Tigers' boys and girls teams continued their dominance, combining for 13 first-place finishes, eight seconds and five thirds, which was by far the most top-three medalists posted by any school at the 11-team Cape Central Relays.

Saturday was the first time the 33rd annual event has been held at Cape Central's new track. One meet record, the high jump, was tied and another, the triple jump, was broken

The field events were scored as relays, meaning three distances were added together to come up with team winners.

No team scores were kept.

Central's girls team was especially prominent. Led by Courtney Haman's two firsts and a second, the Lady Tigers posted firsts in eight of the 17 events. The Lady Tigers also recorded three seconds and two thirds.

"We had a real nice day on the girls side," Central boys coach Jerry Dement said. "We had some good times and some good performances."

Jackson's girls were right behind Central's with five firsts, six seconds and four thirds.

Jackson's 3,200 relay team of Annie Stoverink, Christy Thoma, Carol Koenig and Sarah Stieggemeyer took first as did the 400 and 800 relay teams of Jannine Love, Megan Kuntze, Jeanna Bolen and Lindsey Meyr.

Stiegemeyer won the 1,600-meter run (5:41.93) and Jennifer Love placed first in the 300 hurdles at :48.30.

"It was basically between us and Jackson on the girls side and us and Poplar Bluff on the boys side," Dement said.

"I thought we competed well, our girls especially." Jackson coach Bob Sink said. "Our boys did too, but our girls are much more experienced. I thought our girls may have been a bit tired. We ran a really good meet on Thursday at Ste. Gen."

Haman probably had the best all-around performance of the day, helping Central's high-jump team tie the meet record at 15-4. Haman's jump was 5-4. Marisa Uzoaru and Myka Bohnsack each jumped 5-0.

Haman also took first in the 100 hurdles with a time of 16:16, while taking second in the triple jump. Haman helped Central's triple-jump team set a meet record with a combined distance of 98-7. The other triple jumpers were Bonquita Cox and Uzoaru.

Cape Central took first in four field events (long jump, high jump, shot put and triple jump) out of six on the girls side.

Also claiming firsts for Central's girls were Dionna Webb in the 100-meter dash (:12.24) and the long jump (17-2); freshman Brittany Ballard in the 3,200 (12:30.91); Heather Jenkins in the shot put (40-9 1/2) and Heather Duschell in the discus (104-11). Central's distance medley relay team of Kim Pancoast, Ballard and Lainie Bohnsack also took first with a time of 15:47.53.

In the boys competition, Central got first-place finishes from its 3,200, 800 and distance medley relay teams, as well as the discus team.

Gabe Austin, Jon Lowrance, Ross Tilghman and Mark Stone ran the 4x800. Tilghman, Justin Shelby, Austin and Stone won the distance medley relay in 11:36.40.

Demetrius Totton, Ross Conner, Chris Allen and Steven Criddle took the 4x200 in 1:31.80.

Criddle also took first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.91.

Jeff Thiele, Demarco Williams and O.J. Turner combined to throw the discus 379-5.

"I thought our young distance runners did a nice job," Dement said. "And traditionally, our field events are our strength. Our jumping and throwing events were real good today."

Jackson's Blake Popp took first in the 1,600 with a time of 4:38.91. And Jackon's high jump-team of Kevin Bricknell, Harith Jones and Matt Hale took first place at 18-0.

For detailed results of the Cape Relays, see Scoreboard on Page 4B.