FELKER, CROWELL CAPTURE DISTRICT TITLES FOR TIGERS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Cape Central High's wrestlers struggled as a team Saturday, but the same could not be said for standouts Brent Felker and Josh Crowell.

That pair of Tigers brought home individual championships Saturday as Central hosted the Class 4A, District 1 Tournament.

Pre-meet favorite Oakville held off a strong charge from Sikeston to claim team honors in the seven-squad meet. Oakville finished with 153 points while Sikeston was second with 148.

"Those two really battled it out all the way through," said Cape Central coach Larry Clemens, the tourney director. "It really was exciting for the team title."

Fox of Arnold was third with 137 points, Poplar Bluff finished fourth (89), Northwest was fifth (85), Central placed sixth (70) and Eureka was seventh (59).

"I guess we didn't do as well as a team as we would have liked, but we've got a young team," said Clemens. "This was a new experience for a lot of them and hopefully that experience will pay off in the long run."

The top four finishers in each of the 13 weight classes from Saturday's meet advance to next Saturday's Class 4A sectional at Oakville.

Central advanced five grapplers through the district tournament, led by Felker and Crowell.

Felker, the Tigers' 112-pounder, edged Oakville's Mike Schulze 7-6 in the championship match.

Crowell, competing at 125 pounds, slipped past Oakville's Pat Benson 11-9 in the finals.

"Both those kids did a tremendous job," Clemens said. "They each won close matches against tough competition. They showed a lot of guts to pull out those matches.

"The weight classes Brent and Josh were in were extremely tough. I think several of the kids in those classes had at least 20 victories on the season."

Central had three fourth-place finishers who will go on to sectionals: Jason Metheny at 103, John Kight at 135 and Brandon Nielson at 171.

Other champions from Southeast Missouri were Sikeston's Steve Jordan (130), Nathan Stallings (145) and Corey McNew (heavyweight); and Poplar Bluff's Leo Miller (119) and Obie Blackman (135).

Placing second were Sikeston's Edward Felker (103), Neil Caskey (135) and J.T. Anderson (140); and Poplar Bluff's Brian Wisdom (heavyweight).

Added Clemens, "We'll be taking five to sectionals and hopefully we'll be able to get several of those through to state. Of course, Felker and Crowell should do well and the others also have a shot."