LADY TIGERS CLAIM OPTIMIST CLASSIC

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls soccer team picked up its third tournament championship of the season Saturday when the Lady Tigers edged Notre Dame 1-0 in the finals of the Optimist Spring Classic.

Kim Aslinger scored a second-half goal, with an assist from Leslie Wagoner, as the Lady Tigers improved to 17-1-1 with the win at the Southeast Missouri State University intramural fields.

Heather Hey recorded her 12th shutout of the season.

"It was a good game and a good tournament," said Central coach Tom Doyle. "Both teams had good chances to score. We had three shots hit the post and they had one."

Notre Dame fell to 9-9-1 with its third loss to Central this season.

In other tourney games Saturday, Perryville finished third with a 5-0 win over Poplar Bluff and Marion (Ill.) captured fifth by edging St. Vincent 2-1.

In Perryville's victory, Stacey Baer, Britney Wiebrecht, Cindy Rhine, Jamie Amberger and Amanda Schumer netted goals.

Carrie Strattman scored the lone goal for St. Vincent in its loss.

GIRLS SWIMMING

Cape Central nabs third

SPRINGFIELD -- Central won the day's final event -- the 400 freestyle relay -- to pull out third place among 26 teams in one of the state's toughest regular-season meets.

Columbia Hickman won the meet with 279 points, followed by Blue Springs South with 207, Central with 152 and Springfield Glendale with 147.

"It was really exciting at the end," said Central coach Dayna Powell.

The 400 freestyle relay team of Jennifer Freeze, Jean Maguire, Mary Beth Owen and Grace Freeman broke its own meet record with a time of 3:42.81. That same group also captured the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.19.

Also winning events for Central were Freeman in the 200 freestyle (1:59.61) and Owen in the 200 IM (2:13.79). Freeman was also second in the 50 freestyle (25.15) while Owen placed second in the 100 freestyle (54.27).

Maguire was sixth in he 200 freestyle (2:03.96) while Freeze was sixth in the 50 freestyle (26.69).

TRACK & FIELD

Cape Central boys win

POPLAR BLUFF -- Central finished first out of 10 teams during Friday's Poplar Bluff Invitational.

The Tigers, in winning the meet for the sixth year in a row, scored 120 points. The host squad had 107 points while Sikeston scored 85.

Winning events for Central were Gabe Austin (800), Chris Allen (long jump) and Craig Knoth (shot put).

Results are in `Scoreboard' on Page 2B.