Cape Girardeau Central High's girls track team finished fifth in the Class 4A state meet last year -- and the Lady Tigers return every one of the athletes who scored those state points.

That certainly ranks the Lady Tigers as one of the state's premier teams entering the season.

Cape Central, along with the rest of the area's track programs, begin their seasons in the next several days.

Among some of the squads in the immediate area, Central opens Wednesday at Sikeston, Jackson begins April 1 by hosting Fredericktown and Dexter while Scott City and Chaffee get under way Tuesday in a meet hosted by Chaffee.

Following is a rundown of how those local teams stack up entering the 1997 campaign:

Cape Central

Central girls coach Paula Watkins is naturally fired up about her team's prospects for the season after the Lady Tigers had their best state showing in school history last year.

"We're excited," she said. "On paper it looks like we could have a really good season. If everybody could go up to state and improve on what they did last year and we can get a few more to state, maybe we can do even better than fifth."

The Lady Tigers return their 4x400 relay team of Nichole Thiele, Kristen Tallent, Tosha Smith and Tobie Bittle that won last year's state title. Thiele was also fourth in the state long jump.

Others back are Laura Lukens, who was second in the discus and fifth in the shot put at state last year; and Elizabeth Kunz, who was sixth in the state high jump.

Bittle has qualified for state in the 800 the past two years while sprinters Thiele, Tallent, Smith, Bonquita Cox and Michelle Lunsford return, as do distance runners Leanne Lee and Micah Bohnsack and weight thrower Carmelia Hudson.

A highlight of the regular season for the Lady Tigers will be their participation in the prestigious Jackie Joyner Meet in East Louis, Ill.

As for Central's boys, they finished 10th at state as a team last year but graduated three-time state high jump champion Jay Meystedt as well as pole vault state champion Jim Fox, among others.

"We'll be talented but young," said boys coach Jerry Dement. "It might take us a little time to get going, but I think we'll eventually be pretty good.

"We lost some good kids, but we have some good ones back and the new kids are working hard. I think we'll be competitive in every meet that we run. We just won't be as dominant as we were last year."

Returning state qualifiers are Will Harris in the long jump and relays, Brian Hodges in the triple jump and relays, and Emmanuel Harris, Travis Cox and John Anderson in the relays.

Also returning are distance runners Ben Chisman, Rory Kipper and Mike Stone; weight throwers Dustin Gross, Shondale Tipler, Dan Barylski and Jody Wells; hurdlers Cox and Stafford Moore; and pole vaulter Andy Dunaway.

Jackson

Jackson's boys and girls will both be extremely young this season, but veteran coach Bob Sink believes both squads have potential.

"Our boys graduated a lot of kids. We'll be real young. We'll be okay, but we won't have the depth we had last year," said Sink. "Our girls are also real young, but we have more people returning. They should be pretty decent in a lot of areas."

Jackson's boys have just one returning state qualifier in Ryan Strickland, who made state in the long jump and relays last year.

Strickland is one of only three seniors for the Indians, the others being weight thrower Jeremy Kuntze and hurdler/jumper Sam Birk.

Among others returners being counted on are Lucas Bollinger, Kyle Ward, Chris Schuette, Ben Crass, Mark Sander, Ryan Walther, J.P. Hall and Devree Flint.

The Lady Indians -- who had no state qualifiers last year -- also have just three seniors: sprinter Audrey Essner, 400/800 runner Adrian King and weight thrower Kristen Woods

Also returning are, among others, Natalie Essner, Amy Snell, Lindsay Walker, Becky King, Brandi Majka, Holly Collier, Kasie Jones, Sarah Stiegemeyer, Sarah Strack and Christy Thoma.

Scott City

Scott City will also field youthful teams under coach Terry Flannigan.

"Our boys are really young again and our girls might turn out to be pretty decent," said Flannigan. "It's not the most talented group, but they really work hard. They do everything we ask of them and that makes it fun."

The boys, who return no state qualifiers, will be looking for good things from the likes of John Beck, Travis Burger, Dale Burger, Steven Thomas, Adam Spinks, Brent Raines, Nick Centanni and Matt Underwood.

On the girls side, returning state placers are Tara Sanford in the hurdles and long jump and Amy O'Brien in the high jump.

Among others back are Laura Spencer, Lani Bedwell and Rebecca Gowin.

Chaffee

Last year Chaffee's boys were one of the area's top small-school teams but the Red Devils were hit extremely hard by graduation.

Among those gone from a year ago are state long jump champion Trae Meyr.

"We had a real good season last year but we've got no state qualifiers back and only 14 boys total," said boys coach Terry Glenzy. "This is probably the most inexperienced team I've ever had. It's definitely a rebuilding year."

John Kessler returns after qualifying for state in the 800 and on a relay team last year. Darrin McIntosh, also a middle distance runner, is another returning state relay qualifier.

Also being counted on by Glenzy are the likes of Andy Proffer, Rusty Golightly, Phillip Groves, Andy Overman, Billy Wilson, Aaron Lincoln and Anthony Mussgraves.

Chaffee's girls have more experience and numbers than the boys, with a host of returning contributors among their 23 athletes.

"This is the most girls we've had on the team in several years," said girls coach Larry Cleair. "I'm excited. We should have a pretty solid team."

The Lady Red Devils' have one returning state qualifier in Renee Vandeven, who made the cut in the 800 last year.

Vandeven is one of three seniors, the others being distance runner Sara Whistler and middle distance runner Athena Hampton.

Junior regulars back from last year are Tonya Lynn, Jonell Overfield and Jill Graham.