Tigers place second in district

~ Central advanced to the Class 4 sectional round

Central High School cross country coach Mark Hahn figured talented Lindbergh would have to give his boys team some help.

Lindbergh didn't oblige, but Hahn was still pleased with the Tigers' second-place finish during Saturday's Class 4 District 1 meet at the Jackson City Park.

The top four squads and top 30 individuals advanced to Saturday's sectional, also at the Jackson City Park.

"We knew Lindbergh was really solid," Hahn said. "We knew they would have to give us some help.

Central's Eric Schott, left, and Collin Summers run in an uphill section at the Class 4 District 1 race Saturday In Jackson. (Christian Berens)

"Coming in, we were probably the second best team here."

Lindbergh had five of the top 14 finishers to score 44 points. Central placed four in the top 11 and wound up with 53 points. Oakville (99) and Fox (133) rounded out the top four.

"We had a shot, but Lindbergh was the better team today," Central junior Roy Leighton said. "But I thought it was pretty cool [to get second]. The guys have been working hard."

Leighton and junior teammate Eric Schott -- Central's two state boys qualifiers last year -- waged a tight battle for the fourth and fifth spots Saturday.

Leighton grabbed fourth in 17 minutes, 23.62 seconds, just ahead of fifth-place Schott's 17:24.38.

"The second half of the race, we ran side by side," Schott said. "We were pushing each other."

Said Hahn: "Roy has had a very good year and Eric really stepped up and gave Roy all he could handle."

Central got a ninth-place finish from rapidly improving senior Alex Crawford. Also in the top 30 for the Tigers were junior Collin Summers (11th) and junior Lars Monia (23rd).

"I couldn't be prouder of Alex," Hahn said. "He went from a not very good runner to a pretty good runner through hard work."

Now the Tigers will set their sights on getting the entire team through to state with another strong performance at the sectional meet.

"I think we've got a pretty good chance," Leighton said.

Jackson, missing three of its normal varsity runners due to the flu that hit the school during the week, had just one sectional qualifier as sophomore Ray Hecht finished 29th. The Indians were last as a team.

Team scores -- 1. Lindbergh 44; 2. Central 53; 3. Oakville 99; 4. Fox 133; 5. Vianney 136; 6. Northwest 144; 7. Summit 178; 8. Mehlville 187; 9. Poplar Bluff 238; 10. Seckman 239; 11. Jackson 267.

Individual top 10 -- 1. Jake Bast (Oakville) 17:14.76; 2. Travis Blalock (Poplar Bluff) 17:17.65; 3. Danny Deposki (Lindbergh) 17:18.11; 4. Roy Leighton (Central) 17:23.62; 5. Eric Schott (Central) 17:24.38; 6. Dustin Capehart (Lindbergh) 17:28.88; 7. Tyler Holmes (Fox) 17:29.13; 8. Blake Welch (Lindbergh) 17:29.75; 9. Alex Crawford (Central) 17:48.97; 10. Tony Burton (Vianney) 17:52.37.

Other local finishers

Central -- 11. Collin Summers 17:53.08; 23. Lars Monia 18:36.24; 40. Jordan Pope 19:10.77; 56. Desmond Howard (19:47.95).

Jackson -- 29. Ray Hecht 18:42.13; 42; Justin Bader 19:17.41; 63. Gentry Matthews 20:29.02; 65. Josh James 20:35.35; 68. Eric Law 20:57.51; 72. Austin Koenig 21:19.52; 75. Logan Green 22:22.17.