3 pushed to top finish for state titles

Athletes excel when there is a competitor who can challenge them to do better, especially on the big stage.

That extra push helped Vandebilt Catholic junior Chris Watson, Terrebonne senior Mark Lawson and H. L. Bourgeois senior Caleb Williams win state titles at the State Farm/LHSAA Outdoor Track and Field Champion-ships Saturday at Louisiana State University’s Bernie Moore Stadium.

Watson took home the Class 4A pole vault title, defeating fellow Terrier teammate Jaora Johnson, a senior. Both cleared 15-feet, 6-inches, but Watson had fewer missed attempts throughout the event.

“We always finish within six inches of each other, so it’s appropriate that we jumped the same height at state,” Watson said. “I would have much rathered standing on the podium with him, tied for the championship.”

Watson and Johnson have been competing together for four years under pole vault coach Kevin Trosclair. Although it was not the way Johnson wanted to end his high school career, he said there was no better person to lose to than his good friend.

“We both worked hard for years to get to this point,” Johnson said. “Chris has always been right behind me every year. This year, he had a better day. “

Watson’s biggest thrill was not the victory itself, but surpassing the personal best of older brother Paul, who won three state pole vault titles at Vandebilt from 2004-06.

“It’s good to at least jump higher than he did in high school,” Watson said. “He went 15 (feet), 4 (inches). I’m excited about beating that today.”

Lawson outdistanced his rival, H.L. Bourgeois junior Stanley Lyons, to claim the boys’ Class 5A long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 10.75 inches. Lyons came in third with a personal best of 22 feet, 10.25 inches.

In only his second year competing in the event, Lawson credits his victory to staying healthy this season and strong competition.

“(Stanley) pushed me, I pushed him. That’s the nature of the competition we had,” Lawson said. “We were always near the top, but I was fortunate enough get those few extra inches.”

Lawson improved his prior best – third at a state indoor meet in February – in the long jump. He came in fifth in the Class 5A 100-meter.

Lawson has signed an athletic scholarship to run track at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit.

“He’s naturally fast and a great jumper, so I just had to work on his technique this season,” said Terrebonne track coach Chelsey Nicholas. “With the discipline and focus he’s shown this year, he should flourish at the collegiate level.”

Defending state Class 5A 400-meter champion Williams ran to surpass his regionals’ showing.

He entered the state meet with the worst qualifying time at 50.62. Running in Lane 9, he breezed to easy victory in 47.49.

“I started doubting myself after that bad race at regionals,” he said. “But, I had plenty of time to rest and ran a good race. I’m happy I can end my H.L. career with another state title.”

Williams, who finished second in the event during the indoor season the past two years, is ranked ninth in the country in the 400-meter and seventh in the 200-meter dashes. He signed a letter of intent on Friday to run track for LSU.

“I had a lot of different (scholarship) offers, but when LSU showed serious interest, I knew I would be here,” he said.

Bourgeois’ boys’ track coach Joe Reilly predicts Williams will have an immediate impact for the Tigers’ track and field team.

“His work ethic is tremendous. Now that he can concentrate on one sport, not play football and focus on track all year, you can look for him to do some things as a freshman,” Reilly said.

The Tri-parishes nearly had a fourth state in the boys’ Class 3A 800-meter dash. Patterson junior Alan Angeron led the race until the final 50 meters. He finished third at 2:00.43, behind Berwick junior Joe Lasseigne who placed second at 2:00.38.

It was Angeron’s first loss in an 800-meter race this year.

The Tri-parishes produced two other second place and four more third place medalists at the state meet:

• Thibodaux sophomore Gregory Robinson, second, Class 5A shot put, 52-1/4.

• E.D. White junior Lindsey Constant, second, Class 4A 1,600-meter run, 5:40.96.

• H.L. Bourgeois senior Chelsey Steele, third, Class 5A javelin, 124-6.

• H.L. Bourgeois senior Brianne Bergeron, third, Class 5A pole vault, 11.

• Terrebonne junior Alaina Verdin, third, Class 5A high jump, 5-4.

• South Lafourche junior Rafe Plaisance, third, Class 5A discus, 147-4.