Jackson rounds into form

~ Indians girls team wins six events, boys team emerges as a contender.

Jackson junior Heather Hileman won four events -- three individual events and one relay -- to highlight another dominating day for Jackson's girls track and field team Saturday in the Cape Relays at the Abe Stuber Track Complex.

The meet did not include team scores, and only five events -- the 100, both hurdles, the 1,600 and 3,200 -- counted as individual events.

All of the field events had team champions, with each school's top three competitors' results added up to make a team total.

Jackson's girls won the long jump, triple jump, shot put, discus, 1,600 relay and sprint relay. Rachel Kahle won the 100, and Hileman won both the 100 and 300 hurdles.

Central's Lucian Johnson hands off to Shawn Owens in the 4x800 meter relay during the Cape Relays at the Abe Stuber Complex on Saturday, April 21, 2007. (Kit Doyle)

"We had a good day today, and we had a good day Monday down in Sikeston, too," Jackson coach Bob Sink said. "I hope these days convert into good days the first two or three weeks of May when we get into conference and district."

Hileman was the girls track MVP following her wins in the two hurdle events. While not counting as an individual event, Hileman also had the top jump in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches.

Hileman has been among the top area competitors in all three of her individual events throughout the last few years. She has not been able to translate her regular-season success into the postseason yet. Last year Hileman qualified for the sectional in all three events but was unable to make it to the state meet.

"I feel like it's a very good chance this year," Hileman said of qualifying for the state meet. "I wasn't as pleased with my times today, but the places were nice."

After several weeks of poor weather, more like Saturday's clear skies and warm temperatures should help times get better across the area. Hileman will have a chance to test her times against the area's best once again next week when the Indians host their previously postponed Jackson Invitational on Tuesday.

Teams exchanged the baton during the first handoff in the 400-meter relay Saturday during the Cape Relays at the Abe Stuber Complex. (Kit Doyle)

"I always do better with competition," Hileman said. "I do feel like I'm getting faster. My time is better this year in the 100 hurdles, and I'm jumping higher."

In the 1,600 relay, Hileman teamed with Landon Wachter, Rachel Kahle and Maryann Bradshaw to cruise past Central in 4 minutes, 14.48 seconds. Kahle also had the top distances in the long jump (16 feet, 8 inches) and triple jump (35-11).

Jackson freshman Jill Rushin had the top throw in the discus at 113-10, and senior teammate Amanda Peiffer topped the shot put with a throw of 40-11. Rushin was third in the shot put. Peiffer earned field event MVP on the girls side.

"It's great to both have the support they give and that they're all contributing to our team score," Hileman said of the girls' team success.

Success was certainly not limited to Jackson's girls. The boys also had the top team scores in the pole vault, high jump, discus, 3,200 relay and 1,600 relay. Greg Gibson also won the 1,600.

The Indians have had individual success in recent years, but this is the first time in several years Jackson's boys have been a factor on the team side. Jacob Bullinger had the top throw in the discus at 145-10 for the Indians, and Wren Harris (high jump), Alex Austin (pole vault) and Gibson (3,200) all finished second.

Tyson Stoverink, Josh Cook, Perry Hazelwood and Grant Ressel teamed to win the 3,200 relay, while Tommy Selsor, Adam Zweigart, Ressel and Chris Hurst won the 1,600 relay.

"I'm kind of pleased with our boys," Sink said. "They really answered the bell. They've been misalligned the last few years and haven't had a lot of team success. This year they're starting to have some."

Central pole vaulter Matt Willingham had the top vault of the day at 14-6. Willingham finished eighth at the state meet last year.

The Tigers topped the field in the girls pole vault, 3,200 relay, 400 relay and distance medley relays. Brittany Moreland won the 1,600.

"We're still trying to find our personality in some events," Central coach Lawrence Brookins said. "We're still looking at combinations and sequences of relays. A lot of young kids are getting a chance to compete at the varsity level and contribute at the varsity level."

Notre Dame won the boys shot put relay as well as the distance medley relay. Shane Judd was second in the shot put with a throw of 44-10. Freshman distance runner Wynn McCellan was first in the 3,200 with a school-record time of 10 minutes, 13.23 seconds.

Jessica Banda was second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 to lead Notre Dame's girls.

Derek Goodin won the 300 hurdles to lead Scott City. Stephanie Essner was third in the 100 hurdles.

Boys

Pole vault -- 1. Jackson 36-0, 2. Hillsboro 31-6, 3. Malden 28-6

High jump -- 1. Jackson 17-0, 2. Notre Dame 16-8, 3. Sikeston 16-0

Discus -- 1. Jackson 382-4, 2. Murphysboro 369-8, 3. Central 356-7

Long jump -- 1. Malden 62-4, 2. Central 57-3 1/2, 3. Murphysboro 56-5 1/2

1,600 -- 1. Greg Gibson (J) 4:37.16, 2. Tyler Yeargain (C) 4:40.51, 3. Logan Davis (N) 4:43.12

Sprint medley -- 1. Malden 1:36.63, 2. Sikeston 1:38.18, 3. Central 1:38.76

3,200 relay -- 1. Jackson 8:27.60 (Tyson Stoverink, Josh Cook, Perry Hazelwood, Grant Ressel), 2. Notre Dame 8:29.93

400 relay -- 2. Central 43.80

110 hurdles -- 3. Kenion Bluford (C) 16.67

Distance medley -- 1. Notre Dame 11:22.41 (John Unterreiner, Mark Zimmer, Neil Kanneberg, Logan Davis), 2. Malden 11:30.98, 3. Central 11:33.54

300 hurdles -- 1. Derek Goodin (SC) 42.19

800 relay -- 1. Sikeston 1:31.07, 2. Central 1:31.51, 3. Murphysboro 1:31.89

Shot put -- 1. Notre Dame 124-10, 2. Central 123-2, 3. Jackson 121-10

3,200 -- 1. Wynn McClellan (N) 10:13.23, 2. Gibson (J) 10:19.53, 3. Yeargain (C) 10:31.86

1,600 relay -- 1. Jackson 3:32.45 (Tommy Selsor, Adam Zweigart, Ressel, Chris Hurst), 2. Murphysboro 3:34.60, 3. Notre Dame 3:34.90

Girls

Shot put -- 1. Jackson 115-2 1/2, 2. Central 96-3, 3. Murphysboro 85-1

100 -- 1. Rachel Kahle (J) 12.41

400 relay -- 1. Central 51.24 (Latasha Terry, Sadie Pittman, Rita Walter, Mary Pearson), 2. Malden 51.55, 3. Murphysboro 52.07

3,200 relay -- 1. Central 10:20.02 (Moreland, Rachel Burchyett, Victoria Schabbing, Tiffany Mead), 2. Jackson 10:28.19, 3. Hillsboro 10:48.96

Pole vault -- 1. Central 21-0, 2. Hillsboro 9-0

1,600 -- 1. Brittany Moreland (C) 5:31.88, 2. Jessica Banda (N) 5:56.76,3. Amy Sterling (J) 6:02.86

100 hurdles -- 1. Heather Hileman (J) 16.26, 3. Stephanie Essner (SC) 17.21

High jump -- 1. Jackson 13-10, 2. Murphysboro 9-6, 3. Hillsboro 9-0

Long jump -- 1. Jackson 45-8 3/4, 2. Murphysboro 45-3, 3. Sikeston 39-10

Sprint medley -- 1. Jackson 1:53.58, 2. Central 1:53.70, 3. Sikeston 1:58.83

Distance medley -- 1. Central 13:39.22 (Moreland, Burchyett, Vi. Schabbing, Ve. Schabbing), 2. Hillsboro 14:33.47, 3. Jackson 15:18.55

300 hurdles -- 1. Hileman (J) 49.71, 3. Johnson (C) 52.44

800 relay -- 1. Sikeston 1:49.53, 2. Central 1:49.59, 3. Murphysboro 1:51.60

Discus -- 1. Jackson 313-11, 2. Central 268-9, 3. Murphysboro 250-7

3,200 -- 2. Veronica Schabbing (C) 12:59, 3. Banda (N) 13:02

Triple jump -- 1. Hillsboro 91-8, 2. Central 90-1 3/4, 3. Sikeston 82-10 3/4

1,600 relay -- 1. Jackson 4:14.48 (Landon Wachter, Kahle, Maryann Bradshaw), 2. Central 4:19.48, 3. Sikeston 4:33.40