Changes ahead for ND, Central basketball series

The unwelcome prospect of going from rivals to bitter rivals has Cape Central and Notre Dame changing their basketball schedules.

With Cape Central joining Notre Dame in the Farmington Tournament next year, the schools' boys and girls teams stood the chance of playing each other four times -- twice in the regular season and twice in tournaments.

"That's a little too much," Cape Central athletic director Terry Kitchen admitted.

That concern brought Kitchen and Notre Dame athletic director Chris Janet together for discussions that spawned a new idea.

Next year, the Tigers and Bulldogs will abandon their four-night, home-and-home tradition for a single night of basketball at the Show Me Center. The schools will meet Feb. 4, 2003.

"I think it will be a good time for the fans to see some quality boys and girls basketball between two good high schools on the same night," said Janet.

He said the drawback to the one-game scenario is the new gymnasiums at each school will not be fully put to use. Notre Dame is in the third year of using its gymnasium -- one of the area's best -- while Central will have a sparkling new home next season.

"But you have to think of the welfare of the rivalry," said Janet. "If you start to play each other too much I can see where it could result in problems."

The teams could meet as many as three times next year. Notre Dame's boys and girls played in the Farmington Tournament for the first time this season and plan to return. Besides possibly crossing paths in that tournament, the schools' teams could meet in the girls' HealthSouth Holiday Classic and boys' University High Christmas Tournament.

"Right now it's one year, and if it goes well, I'm sure we will have created a new tradition," said Janet.

Each school will schedule new opponents to make up for the lost games. Notre Dame's boys will add Oakville while the girls are still pursuing an opponent. Central is looking for opponents for both boys and girls.

Central's boys are dropping games against Parkway West and Carbondale, Ill., to make room for the Farmington Tournament. The Tigers will remain in the Sikeston Invitational Tournament played the following week. The Lady Tigers are dropping the Oakville Tournament to join the Farmington Tournament.

Notre Dame also plans to drop boys and girls games against Springfield Catholic in favor of MICDS.

Indians are No. 1

According to the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association, St. Vincent is the team to beat in Class 1A.

The Association released its preseason poll last week and St. Vincent, which won the state championship in 2000 and lost in a tight championship game last year to Jasper, was No. 1.

The Indians of coach Rick Wibbenmeyer are coming off an 18-12 campaign and return one of their top two starters on the mound in senior Tyler Wengert.

The Indians reached the past two 1A championship games despite not even being the top seed in their own district. Last year that distinction belonged to Oran, ranked No. 7 in the preseason poll. The Eagles, coached by Mitch Wood, saw their season end at 20-6 with an 8-5 loss to St. Vincent in the District 2 title game.

Community, which lost to St. Vincent in the state semifinals, is ranked No. 2.

Two other area teams are also in the poll with Notre Dame No. 8 in 2A and Sikeston No. 2 in 3A.

Notre Dame, which fell in the 2A, District 2 semifinals to Kelly, compiled a 17-7 mark under Jeff Graviett. John Burroughs, edged 7-6 in the 2A semifinals last year by eventual state champion Iberia, enters the season ranked No. 1.

Sikeston (22-5) reached the 3A title game last season and lost 12-3 to Jefferson City Helias, which tops the preseason poll.

Defending state champion Joplin holds the top spot in 4A.

CHS wrestlers spin their Web

The Cape Central sports Web pages are being "Central-ized" at www.cape.k12.mo.us.

Each sport will soon have its own Web page at the site. The Tiger wrestlers are blazing the way with a comprehensive page that includes schedule, roster, individual results, directions to meets and more. Access it directly at www.cape. k12.mo.us/chs/wrestling.

Cape Girardeau School District technology coordinator Brian Hall said district webmaster Bill Link is assisting the high school teams in setting up their pages. Hall added that the coaching staff for each sport does most the work on the sites.

Other schools' sites can accessed for sports schedules. In the immediate area, Notre Dame is at www.notredamehighschool.org. Jackson High schedules can be found at www.jackson.k12.mo.us.

Jeff Breer is a sportswriter for the Southeast Missourian