JACKSON, CENTRAL WRESTLERS FARE WELL

Although a 103-pound Hoss (Hodges of Cape Girardeau Central High) and a 160-pound Pee Wee (Bartles of Jackson) fell in the second round, Jackson and Central emerged in the top seven after the first day of the 14th annual Tiger Classic Friday.

With 94 points, Seckman of Arnold sits atop Southeast Missouri's premier wrestling event after the quarterfinal round.

Defending champion Ste. Genevieve stands in second with 84.5 points, followed by Lindbergh (70); Jackson (65.5); Murphysboro, Ill. (62.5); Francis Howell Central (50.5) and Central (50).

Rounding out the 16-team lineup are Northwest-House Springs (44); St. Charles (36); Pattonville (33.5); Germantown, Tenn. (29); Sikeston (29); Dexter (20.5); De Soto (20); Poplar Bluff (19) and Marion, Ill. (4).

Jackson paced the field after the first round, but only four Indians survived the quarterfinals.

"Our first round was really good," Jackson coach Steve Wachter said. "But we weren't really emotionally up like we should have been in the second round. We lost some matches that I thought we could have won."

Among the Indians who succumbed in the second round was 112-pounder Brett Stroud, a sophomore who was the champion at 103 last year. Stroud, the No. 2 seed, fell to Frankie Valleroy of Seckman, the sixth seed.

"The kid from Seckman is a very good wrestler," Wachter said. "Any time you match up a lot of good wrestlers in the early rounds, anything is possible. It's a little disappointing; I know it is to him and to me. But it's something that he's going to have to come back from."

The Indians competing in the semifinals today are Adam Wachter (130), two-time champion Lance Schlick (140), Kyle Watson (145) and Mark Wade (152).

Central hasn't placed as high as seventh in the tournament since 1994, so the Tigers' standing after the first day left coach Drew Lilledahl elated.

"Seventh place sounds pretty good," Lilledahl said. "We all wrestled hard, and that's what I've been trying to get them to do. This is the toughest team I've fielded in three years, and we wrestled like it tonight. I'm impressed."

Four Tigers endured the first two rounds. At 112, Keith Benton outlasted Northwest's Mike Zuniga, a state tournament qualifier last season, 10-8 in overtime.

"Keith Benton wrestled really well, the best I've seen him wrestle in his life," Lilledahl said.

Central fared especially well in the upper weights as Matt Strickland (189), Alex Elfrink (215) and Craig Knoth (heavyweight) each advanced to the semifinals.

"My upper weights are all seniors and they are all wrestling like seniors," Lilledahl said.

And a few Tigers who lost in the early rounds have a good chance for a better showing today, Lilledahl said.

"I've got three or four kids I'm looking to come back strong through the wrestle-backs and come back all the way to third if they wrestle well," he said.

Wrestling action continues today at 11 a.m. with the finals beginning at 6 p.m.