Sports digest 3/14/02

AREA

JACKSON HAS NEW COMPANY IN FOOTBALL DISTRICT SHUFFLE

New football district assignments for next season pair Jackson with St. Louis-area teams Francis Howell, Parkway Central and Parkway West, the Missouri State High School Activities Association announced Wednesday.

The assignments come after the state added a new classification to football, bringing the number of classes to six. Jackson, the largest school in the region, is the only school in Southeast Missouri that will compete in Class 5A.

Poplar Bluff, down from 5A, will join Cape Girardeau Central, Perryville and Sikeston in Class 4A, District 1.

District games will make up the final three games of the schedule and will determine the qualifiers for state playoffs.

Other district assignments:

4A-2: De Soto, Farmington, North County, Windsor.

3A-1: New Madrid County Central, Dexter, Fredericktown, Kennett.

3A-2: Park Hills Central, Festus, Potosi, Ste. Genevieve.

2A-1: Caruthersville, East Prairie, Malden, Portageville.

2A-2: Charleston, Crystal City, Grandview, Scott City.

1A-1: Chaffee, Hayti, St. Vincent, Valle.

Southeast tennis opens OVC schedule with loss

MURRAY, Ky. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's tennis team lost its Ohio Valley Conference opener Wednesday, 7-0 to Murray State.

The Otahkians won just 19 total games in six singles matches and three doubles matches.

Central swimmers lose to Parkway North

Central High's girls' swimming team fell to 0-2 in dual meets with a 114-72 loss to Parkway North.

Terra Herzberger had the lone first-place finish for the Tigers, winning the 50-meter freestyle. Herzberger and Cassie Kipper placed in the top three in four events. Brett Ford and Katie Maginel did the same in three events.

ELSEWHERE

GOLF

Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez said she plans to stop playing tournaments full time at the end of this season, her 25th on the LPGA Tour. She said she would compete in selected tour events and will take part in corporate tournaments, course design and work to develop new ideas for her namesake club line.

After Phoenix this weekend, Lopez, 45, said she expects to play in tournaments this month in Tucson, and Rancho Mirage, Calif., before taking time off. She said her next commitment was to the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship on May 3-5.

-- From staff, wire reports