CENTRAL BOYS SWIMMING TEAM SET FOR STATE MEET

Cape Girardeau Central coach Dayna Powell acknowledges this year, in swimming terms, may be more of a dip in state waters for her boys team.

But with several key underclassmen scheduled to be back for two more years, the dip may serve a useful purpose in the realm of experience.

The state meet, to be held at Hickman High School in Columbia, opens Friday with preliminary swims and concludes with Saturday's finals.

"Really, this is a younger group of kids going up there," said Powell, who has twice seen her boys teams finish seventh at state. "Of all the individuals, only one swam last year."

The name is familiar to both area swimming fans and statewide followers -- Younghouse.

Two years ago Cape Central took a junior swimmer named Jonathan Younghouse to Columbia and merely saw him win two state titles and swim away with the meet's MVP.

This year sophomore Matt Younghouse, Jonathan's brother, will make his second trip to state. Competing in the 200 and 500 freestyle events, Younghouse probably represents Central's best chance of putting a swimmer in Saturday's finals. With a 1:51.42 in the 200, he has eclipsed the qualifying time by over four seconds. His 5:06.97 in the 500 is 11.5 seconds faster than the needed qualifier.

"Matt Younghouse has been solid," said Powell. "Everywhere he's swam he's been first or second."

Younghouse will be one of five Tigers competing in individual events. Central, taking a total of nine swimmers, will also compete in three relays.

The Tigers finished 16th last year, the first time in the program's six-year history it did not place in the top 10. Central again hopes to crack the top 10, but it's not a priority for Powell.

"We're not worried about a particular finish," said Powell. "If we get experience and they all come back next year, we should be in good shape. We have a good group of sophomores."

Other sophomores competing in individual events are Jason Owen in the 200 individual medley (season best of 2:06.27, state qualifier of 2:10.19) and 100 backstroke (SB 56.99, SQ 59.99); Ben Roger in the 100 backstroke (SB 58.99, SQ 59.99); and Eric Yount in the 50-yard sprint (SB 23.04, SQ 23.39).

Junior diver Nick Sterrett, who set a school record for points in an 11-dive meet, will compete in the one-meter board competition. Sterrett has scored a season-high 228.5, over 13 points above the qualifier.

Sophomores Jason Marietta and Rob Tygett and seniors Ben Chisman and Kirk Yount will comprise the 200 medley relay team (SB 1:47.93, SQ 1:48.99).

Central has also qualified in two free style relays: the 200 freestyle (SB 1:35.08, SQ 1:36.49), consisting of Chisman, Younghouse, Owen and Eric Yount; and the 400 freestyle (SB 3:32.99, SQ 3:37.79), comprised of Chisman, Younghouse, Roeger and Eric Yount.