Cape Central, Jackson win district semis

Top-seed Cape Central and second-seed Jackson cruised to the final of the Class 4A, District 1 soccer playoffs.

The Tigers' Jon Mark Thompson scored a hat trick to lead Cape Central to a 10-0 drubbing of fifth-seed Hillsboro at the SEMO Intramural Soccer Field Tuesday night. Earlier in the evening, second-seed Jackson disposed of third-seed Poplar Bluff 6-0.

"Everybody was kind of rooting for Jon tonight," said Cape Central coach Tom Doyle, who presented Thompson with a game ball signed by his teammates.

Thompson's three goals, two on penalty kicks, made him the career goal-scoring leader at Cape Central with 60, breaking the old mark of 59 held by Craig Scheer. He also tied Scheer's single-season record of 26.

Cape Central (22-3-1) also got two goals each from Chad Proffer and Jordan Duncan. Aaron Bornstein, Eric Daume and Clint Hoffman accounted for the rest of the scoring.

Thompson, Chris Limbaugh, Whit Lynn and Calen Wills assisted on goals.

Leading 6-0 at the half, Cape Central got its 10th goal with about seven minutes to go to end the match on the 10-goal mercy rule.

"Well, we had more speed and more skills and we put 'em on display," said Doyle.

Central goalie Trevor Blattner got the shutout with six saves.

Jackson (13-9) broke open a 1-0 game with five second-half goals to eliminate Poplar Bluff (6-16-3) and advance to the final against Central Friday at 5 p.m. at the SEMO Intramural Soccer Field.

"We came out and played a really good offensive second half and played two good defensive halves," said Jackson coach Zack Walton. "When we play together and we're unselfish, we're capable of scoring like that. That's a good boost for our kids going into Friday."

Patrick Kohm and Matt Neal scored two goals each. Stuart Knowlan and Matt Gordon got one apiece.

Michael Schuette and Kohm each had two assists and goalie Austin McDowell, who recorded the shutout, had one.