District meet arrives for Central, Jackson

Cape Girardeau Central's girls appear to be a slight favorite in a competitive field as the Class 4A, District 1 high school cross country meet is held at Jackson City Park today.

The top four teams and top 30 individuals in both the boys and girls divisions will advance to the sectional round at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis next Saturday.

Cape Central, the 2001 SEMO Conference girls champion by a close 24 to 33 margin over Jackson, will field a seven-person team including second-place conference medalist Kim Pancoast (20:43), Jennifer Pancoast, Rachel Sprigg, Whitney Pingel, Holly Schaffer, Cassie Kipper and Magin Patrick or Mallory Wilson.

Jackson, last year's district champion, should be in the hunt for the team title, despite fielding a very young team.

Jackson's Nicole Fadler, the SEMO Conference individual winner (20:33), will lead a team which includes Carol Koenig, Krista Mouser and four freshmen -- Rachel Lowes, Rachel Schmidt, Ashley Meyr and Jenny Nagel.

Mouser, the returning district champion, has yet to live up to last year's standards, but, if healthy, with her course knowledge she could be a threat.

Fox, Oakville and Northwest House Springs are expected to also be in the hunt.

On the boys' side, Northwest House Springs, district champions the past three years, obviously has tradition on its side, but is not an overwhelming choice to repeat. Northwest may not have the depth it possessed in past years.

Reigning SEMO Conference champion and much improved Poplar Bluff or Fox could foil Northwest's title run. Lindbergh is usually a strong contender.

Cape Central's boys, second at last year's district, will be hard-pressed to duplicate that feat, considering the loss through graduation of its top runners.

"I think both teams, the boys and girls, can qualify, but the boys will have to run extremely well," said Cape Central coach Mark Hahn.

With no clear-cut No. 1 runner, any of the top four -- Jake Knepp, Mike Gerber, Josh Revelle and Trevor Duncan -- could lead the Cape Central contingent. Alex Schneider, Alex Ramsey and John Higgins round out the squad.

Josh Minson, T.J. Humphrey, Joe Golightly, Jody Ressel, Michael Birk, Lucas McIntosh and Mark Strickert carry the Indians' hopes.

Other teams entered are Seckman and Mehlville.

The girls get the action started on the 3.1 mile course at 11 a.m., followed by the boys at 11:45. An open race for JV and alternate runners will start at 12:15 p.m.

District meets for 1A, 2A and 3A schools will be held next Saturday as those classes have no sectionals.

Local teams in those classifications will compete at Potosi (3A), Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis (2A) and Spanish Lake Park in St. Louis (1A).