TIGERS TO COMPETE IN SIX FINALS

ST. PETERS -- On the strength of swift preliminary swims from Jason Owen, Eric Yount and two relay teams, Cape Girardeau Central High is poised to climb the standings ladder higher than ever today in the Missouri swimming and diving championships.

In a preliminary race Friday at the Rec-Plex in St. Peters, Owen, a senior, placed first in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:44.38, just ahead of the 1:44.79 posted by Raytown South's Adam Apprill.

In the 100 backstroke, Owen qualified in second place with a time of :54.29, behind Seth Aldrich of Marquette, who finished in :52.54.

Central's Yount, also a senior, fared nearly as well as Owen on Friday.

Yount placed third in the 50 freestyle in 22 seconds; Raytown's Brad Burns qualified in the first slot in :21.22. In the 100 free, Yount enters the championship race today having qualified in fourth place in :48.93. Burns also had the fastest time in that race, in :46.82.

Central's 200 medley relay team of Owen, Yount, Ben Roeger and Jon Lowrance qualified in fifth place, with a time of 1:42.92. Glendale finished first in 1:40.44.

Central's 400 freestyle relay team of Owen, Yount, Roeger and Stratton Tingle qualified as well, in eighth place in 3:22.40. Parkway South finished in 3:16.55.

"We've never had four in the top eight and two relays qualify," Central coach Dayna Powell said.

Two other Tigers qualified for today's races. Roeger placed 18th in :58.25 in the 100 backstroke and Zach Roberts was 25th in :57.45 in the 100 butterfly.