Area sports digest 9/17/02

Cape racer leads drag strip finish

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Mark Murakami of Cape Girardeau won with a 6.26-second dial and ran a 6.27 (107 mph) to lead the super pro class Saturday at Sikeston Drag Strip.

Ron Simmons, on track to win the season points title, finished second. He ran 9.03 on a 6.29 dial (46 mph).

Greg Harty closed in on pro class points leader Darrell Jones with his win Saturday. Harty is five points behind. Steve Jones of Sikeston was second Saturday.

Ray Salsman of Piedmont won the ET class with an 8.29 dial, running a 8.34 at 81 mph. Bill Hooker of Herrin, Ill., was second with an 8.18 on a 8.15 dial (86 mph).

Area teen represents state in USTA event

Alec Peterson, 16 of Charleston, will represent the Missouri district in the USTA junior sectional tennis tournament Nov. 9 in Tulsa, Okla.

Peterson earned automatic entry into the event by winning the district endorsement tournament last week at Lake of the Ozark. He defeated Robert Hikel 7-5, 4-6, 7-3.

The event marks a successful summer for Peterson, who was unseeded in July in the summer section championship and advanced to the quarterfinals. He fell in a close game to top-seeded Kyle Cumberland last month in an event in Kansas City.

-- From staff reports