Cross country meet brings together area's top runners

The top long-distance running talent in the region will gather for Central's 38th Tiger Time Invitational, a cross country meet scheduled for this morning at Cape North County Park .

Races will be held for junior high to varsity levels beginning at 10 a.m. Team champions will be crowned and medals awarded to the top individuals in each race. Varsity, junior-varsity and freshman runners will compete on a 2.6-mile layout, while the junior high participants will run on a 1.3-mile course.

Fifteen schools will be represented: Advance, Carbondale (Ill.), Central, Delta, Farmington, Fox, Jackson, Kelly, Kennett, Northwest House Springs, Notre Dame, Oak Ridge, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston and Ste. Genevieve.

Central won the varsity girls race last year while Fox finished first on the boys' side.

The junior high race will kick off the event at 10 a.m. and will be followed by the freshman (10:30 a.m.), junior-varsity girls (11 a.m.), junior-varsity boys (11:30 a.m.), varsity girls (noon) and varsity boys (12:30 p.m.). The event has free admission.

Elsewhere around the area, an eight-team volleyball tournament will be hosted by Perryville High School today.

The tournament will feature two four-team pools, with the top two teams from each advancing to the semifinals.

Pool play begins at 9 a.m. at both the middle school and high school, and concludes with 2 p.m. matches. The semifinals will be held at 3:15 p.m. at both sites, while the 4:30 p.m. championship will be held at the high school. A third-place match will also be played at 4:30 at the middle school.

Pool A will consist of Central, Leopold, defending champion Fredericktown and St. Vincent. Pool B participants will be Perryville, Meadow Heights, Dexter and Ste. Genevieve.

Cost is $2.50 for adults and $1.50 for students.

One event that won't be held is Jackson's 16-team softball tournament, which has been canceled because of wet fields. The school is attempting to reschedule the tournament for next weekend.