SOCCER: AREA SOCCER TEAMS PREPARE FOR DISTRICTS

District soccer for Classes 1A, 2A and 3A schools -- all classes play in a combined tournament -- and Class 4A kicks off this week.

All teams have one goal in mind -- to advance to the sectional round and beyond in quest of a state championship.

As Cape Central Tiger coach Tom Doyle reminded, "In districts, anything can happen. Everybody comes in with a clean slate and past records don't mean much."

Doyle should know, as his '99 squad came in as a third seed and came out as district champion.

CLASS 4A, DISTRICT 1at Jackson Soccer Complex

Teams participating in the 2000 District1 Tournament are Cape Central, Jackson, Poplar Bluff, Farmington and Hillsboro.

Cape Central (13-7-3), the No. 1 seed, gains a first-round bye before meeting the winner of the Hillsboro (No.4)-Farmington (No. 5) game which will be played on Saturday. The Cape Central match will be Monday at 3:30 p.m.

The Tigers have defeated Farmington twice by lopsided scores, but haven't faced Hillsboro.

No. 2 seed Jackson (13-4-2) meets No. 3 Poplar Bluff, a team the Indians have had some problems with this season, in the other semifinal on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Jackson defeated Poplar Bluff early in the season 3-2, then dropped two decisions to the Mules in later meetings.

"I feel pretty confident facing them on our field, which is bigger and allows us to play our possession game," said Jackson coach Zach Walton.

If the district plays out as the seeds indicate, a Jackson-Cape Central final should be interesting.

Cape Central pummeled Jackson 8-0 in its first match, then needed a last minute goal to tie the Indians 1-1 in their second meeting.

The championship will be contested Thursday at 3:30 p.m.

CLASS 1A-3A, DISTRICT 1at Notre Dame High School

The Notre Dame Bulldogs, ranked No. 9 in the latest Missouri State High School Soccer Coaches Association 1A-3A Poll, have garnered the No. 1 seed in the district.

"We've earned the top seed, but we're still a young team and we must play with energy and emotion to be our best," said Notre Dame coach Brad Wittenborn. "When we play like that, we're very good."

The Bulldogs (16-7-1) will open against the winner of today's Sikeston (No. 4)-De Soto (No. 5) Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

St. Pius X of Festus (No. 2) also drew a bye and will face the winner of today's Windsor (No. 3)-Kennett (No. 6) matchup Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

The championship match will be Monday at 7:15 p.m.