CENTRAL GIRLS TOP NERINX HALL

ST. LOUIS -- The Cape Central Lady Tigers faced some early adversity on the road Saturday afternoon, but put together their "best performance of the season" according to Central coach Paula Watkins to beat Nerinx Hall 52-40.

Central improved to 12-5 overall despite playing without two of its top players. Spot-starter Courtney Haman was sick and didn't make the trip and early in the first quarter 5-foot-11 freshman Katie Dougherty left the court with a dislocated kneecap.

"We were without two of our top players just two minutes into the ball game," Watkins said. "But everyone on the team really stepped up and played tremendous."

Central senior Sarah Bruening, celebrating her birthday, had the game of her life with a career-high 15 points.

"Sarah really stepped up and played an outstanding game," said Watkins. "It was her birthday and she had the best game of her career.

Classmate Abby Harris added a team-high 18 points.

Despite losing Dougherty early, the Lady Tigers pounced on their host to take a 16-7 lead after one quarter. Central led 28-18 at halftime and put the game away in the third quarter by outscoring Nerinx Hall 16-4.

The Lady Tigers are back in action Monday when they play New Madrid in the opening round of the Charleston Invitational Tournament. Central is the fourth seed in the seven-team field.

Notre Dame 57, Twin Rivers 42

The Lady Bulldogs hosted their first game in over a month Saturday, topping Twin Rivers in a make-up game rescheduled from Jan. 22 because of bad weather.

Notre Dame, ranked seventh in Class 2A, improved to 13-5 in their first home game since a Jan. 15 win over Fredericktown. Twin Rivers, a competitive 2A team, fell to 10-6.

"It was nice to play one at home," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim. "And it was nice to play a 2A school."

The two teams combined to total 46 fouls, with Notre Dame getting whistled for 28 of those. Twin Rivers made 23 of 38 free throws; Notre Dame 11 of 15.

"It was pretty physical, let's put it that way," said Notre Dame Coach Jerry Grim. "Coming off of the loss to Jackson (on Thursday) we played a little more physical today."

Olivia Beel led the Lady Bulldogs with 11 points and Jill Huber scored 10.

Notre Dame goes back on the road Wednesday when they face Scott County Central in the Charleston Invitational Tournament. The Lady Bulldogs are the third seed.

Boys swimming

Central 2nd at Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Cape Central's 400-meter freestyle relay team swam its fastest time of the season and clinched a second-place finish for the Tigers in the 14-team Springfield Invitational Saturday.

Springfield Glendale totalled 262 points to easily win the meet, but Central won a dogfight for second with 172 points, edging Oakville, which finished at 171. Springfield Kickapoo placed fourth at 163.

In the final race of the day, the 400-freestyle relay, Cape Central's quartet of Jaime Higgins, Eric Yount, Ben Roeger and Jason Owen clocked 3:25.87, beating its season-best time by two seconds.

"It was a pretty exciting finish," said Cape Central coach Dayna Powell. "We swam a heck of a relay."

Central trailed Oakville by seven points entering the final event. The comeback helped avenge a narrow seven-point loss to Oakville in a dual meet earlier this season.

Owen turned in Central's other two first-place finishes, winning the 200 freestyle in 1:47.18 and the 500 freestyle in 4:57.53.

Yount also finished second in both the 50 and 100 freestyles.

CENTRAL RESULTS

Medley relay - 4. 1:47.93 (Ben Roeger, Jaime Higgins, Jason Owen, Eric Yount)

200 freestyle - 1. Owen 1:47.18, 5. Roeger 1:55.61

200 IM - 5. Higgins 2:13.58

50 freestyle - 2. Yount 22.95

Diving (11 dives) - 4. Nick Sterrett 332.55, 8. Tim Chisman 270.20

100 freestyle - 2. Yount 51.06

500 freestyle - 1. Owen 4:57.53

100 backstroke - 4. Roeger 59.75

100 breaststroke - 7. Higgins 1:06.82

400 freestyle relay - 1. 3:25.87 (Higgins, Yount, Roeger, Owen)

JV WRESTLING

SEMO Conference tourney

JACKSON -- Twelve Jackson wrestlers placed, 10 made the finals and seven won titles Saturday as the Indians claimed the 10-team SEMO Conference Junior Varsity Tournament.

Jackson won the team championship with 219 points to easily top runner-up Ste. Genevieve's total of 159.5 points. Cape Central had four wrestlers place in the top four as the Tigers finished in seventh place with 58 points.

Winning individual titles from Jackson were: Chris Brown (103-pounds), Jason Streiler (112), Keil Johnson (119), Adam Wachter (130), Josh Lange (135), Chris Freeman (145) and Kevin Brunke (160).

TEAM RESULTS

1. Jackson, 219

2. Ste. Genevieve, 159.5

3. Farmington, 127

4. Poplar Bluff, 89

5. Dexter, 86

6. Sikeston, 80

7. Cape Central 58

8. Park Hills, 34

9. North County, 17

10. Potosi, 16

LOCAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

103 - 1. Chris Brown, Jackson; 4. Paul Miller, Cape Central

112 - 1. Jason Streiler, Jackson

119 - 1. Keil Johnson, Jackson; 4. Jon Lowrance, Cape Central

125 - 2. Josh Deneke, Jackson

130 - 1. Adam Wachter, Jackson

135 - 1. Josh Lange, Jackson

145 - 1. Chris Freeman, Jackson

152 - 3. Jamell Austin, Cape Central

160 - 1. Kevin Brunke, Jackson

171 - 3. Otis Turner, Cape Central; 4. Brad Biri, Jackson

189 - 4. Andy Herndon, Jackson

215 - 2. Tim Spradling, Jackson

HVY - 2. Spencer Hobeck, Jackson; 3. Andy Roussel, Cape Central