CHS PUTS 18 IN 4A STATE MEET

ST. LOUIS -- Cape Girardeau Central enjoyed all kinds of success while Jackson also had its share Saturday during the Class 4A Sectional 1 track and field meet held at Lafayette High School.

Cape Central qualified eight girls in 11 events and 10 boys in six events for next week's Class 4A State Championships in Jefferson City.

Jackson qualified three boys in four events but no girls for state.

The top four finishers in each event at the sectional earned berths in the state meet.

"We couldn't have done any better," said Central coach Jerry Dement. "Everybody we thought had a realistic chance got through (to state). They all just did a super job and we're really excited."

Central's girls had three sectional champions: Kristin Tallent in the 400-meters (59.5 seconds), Tobie Bittle in the 800 (2:18.7 to break her own school record) and Courtney Haman in the high jump (5-2).

Dionna Webb qualified in three individual events as she was second in the 100 (12.3), third in the 200 (26.0) and third in the long jump (16-10).

Freshman Heather Jenkins was third in the shot put (37-10), Myca Bohnsack was fourth in the 3,200 (11:47) and Marissa Uzoaru was fourth in the triple jump (34-2).

Two Lady Tigers' relay teams qualified as the 4x800 of Summer Chaudhari, Tallent, Bohnsack and Bittle was second (9:43.0 to break its own school record) and the 4x400 of Bittle, Tallent, Chaudhari and Webb was fourth (4:05).

For Central's boys, all four relay teams qualified for state, including the 4x800 squad of Mike Stone, Drew Witvoet, Gabe Austin and Rory Kipper that was fourth (8:08) and dropped 14 seconds off its time from last week's district meet.

The 4x200 of Steve Criddle, Emmanuel Harris, Demetrius Totten and Travis Cox was third (1:30); the 4x100 of Criddle, Ross Conner, Chris Allen and Harris was fourth (43.9); and the 4x400 of Criddle, Cox, Harris and Totten was fourth (3:33).

Also for the Tigers, Cox was third in the 300 intermediate hurdles (39.0) while Allen was fourth in the long jump (20-10).

Devree Flint was Jackson's big star Saturday. The senior, an all-state football player who is headed to Southeast Missouri State University to play that sport, won the shot put with a career-best 53-10 1/2. Flint also qualified for state in the discus, placing fourth at 147-1 1/2.

"He's really come on," said Jackson coach Bob Sink. "He's got an opportunity to do something (at state)."

Also qualifying for the Indians were Nathan Windeknecht, who was third in the triple jump (43-10 1/2), and Kevin Bricknell, who was third in the high jump (6-4),