If the SEMO Conference track meet at Jackson High School were the Kentucky Derby, Cape Girardeau Central's boys and girls teams would be the overwhelming, can't-miss betting choice.

But there are a couple of Charismatic teams -- namely Jackson's girls and Poplar Bluff's boys -- who will be chasing the Tigers.

Cape Central's track team has beaten each of its conference opponents at least three times this season, so it goes without saying that it will be the team to beat today in the four-team meet. Action is scheduled to get under way at 4 p.m. at the track complex behind the junior high school.

"I would have to give Cape the nod," Jackson coach Bob Sink said. "I think it will be close between Cape and Bluff on the boys side and us and Cape on the girls side.

"It will be close, but for us to beat Cape, we'll have to get some help from Sikeston and Bluff. It's a tough meet."

"We look for a tough one," Cape Central boys track coach Jerry Dement said. "They both could be close. We're familiar with everybody."

Dement noted that the four-team format could make for a closer contest than the large invitationals and dual meets earlier in the season.

Central's strength is its depth and with a four-team meet, Dement said, depth is less of a factor.

"The points aren't separated as much," Dement said. "In large meets, you can stretch out a lead. With so few teams, it's hard to build a big lead.

"But if everyone takes care of business like they have all year, we'll be all right."

The conference meet kicks off the postseason -- the winner of this meet nearly always wins the district meet -- so Dement is hoping to see some of the best performances of the year. The district meet is next Saturday.

"We look at our season in two sections," he said. "In April, we have a lot of duals and four big invitationals and we want to win those. But we look to May as championship month. All that happened so far doesn't matter. It all starts with the conference meet.

"We want them (athletes) to start peaking now. So far, we're in good shape. There is always some soreness, but we're getting healthy now. We want our kids in the best shape as possible and I think we are."

Likewise, Dement feels both teams are ready mentally.

"Our kids have a lot of pride in winning the conference and the district," he said. "We push each other at practice. It's hard to stay at the top at the local level like we have. These kids have been part of that in the past and they feel like they are part of a tradition."