6 locals win titles at state track finals

Neither heavy rains nor constant gusting winds could keep six Tri-parish athletes from winning titles at the State Farm/LHSAA State Outdoor Track and Field Championships at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium on Saturday.

Vandebilt Catholic senior Rachel Laurent won her sixth (three indoor, three straight outdoor) Class 4A championship in the girls’ pole vault. She broke her own state composite record by three inches with a leap of 13 feet, 6 inches.

Laurent tried once again to set a national record at 14 feet, 2 inches, but failed on three attempts because of strong head winds.

Two locals won a pair of state championships: E.D. White senior Chase Clement and Morgan City’s Johnny Francois.

Clement defended his Class 3A boys’ discus title by winning with a throw of 176 feet, 5 inches, and he won the boys’ shot put with a heave of 59 feet,10 inches.

Clement, an LSU football signee, also placed fourth in the javelin with a throw of 170 feet, 1 inch. He earned 24 of E.D. White’s 34 points in boys’ events.

Morgan City’s Johnny Francois won Class 4A titles in the boys’ 100-meter dash in 10:81 and the boys’ 200-meter dash in 21.58. He netted all 20 of Morgan City’s points in the meet.

After coming in third last year, H.L. Bourgeois senior Christian Williams took back the state 5A title in the boys’ long jump, which he first won as a sophomore. He set a personal best with a jump of 24 feet. He also placed fourth in the triple jump at 45 feet, 8.5 inches.

H.L. Bourgeois junior Caleb Williams edged out a victory in 400-meter dash in a time of 48:10. Caleb, the cousin of Christian, also finished fourth in the 200-meter dash (22.08) and eighth in the triple jump (43 feet, 4.75 inches).

Ellender Memorial senior Brandon Matthews took first-place in the Class 4A boys’ triple jump with a personal best 47 feet, 2.25 inches. He also finished sixth in the long jump (21 feet, 5 inches).

Here are local team and other individual results from the state track and field championships.

CLASS 5A

TERREBONNE

The Tigers came in 27th in both boys’ (four points) and girls’ (three points) competition.

Last year’s girls’ high jump champion, Alaina Verdin, placed fifth, clearing 5 feet. Cierra Bonvillian finished ninth in the girls’ 800-meter run (2:29.04); Skyla Jackson was seventh in the 3,200-meter run (12:15.00) and the Lady Tigers’ 1,600-meter relay team finished sixth.

Mark Lawson finished fourth in the boys’ 100-meter dash (10.85), but he was disqualified in the long jump.

H.L. BOURGEOIS

The Braves finished seventh with 29 points, and the Lady Braves tied for 28th place with two points.

Brianne Bergeron placed fifth in the pole vault with a leap of 9 feet, 6 inches.

Tiffany Lofton took seventh in the shot put (36 feet, 9 inches), and Brittany Fitzgerald came in eighth in the high jump (17 feet, 1.25 inches).

The Braves 1,600-meter team placed sixth with a time of 3:23.89.

SOUTH TERREBONNE

The Gators tied for 28th place gaining six points, and the Lady Gators earned zero points.

Brad Stoufflet finished fifth in the boys’ pole vault clearing 13 feet. Deondre Young finished fifth in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.17. Kiley Louviere placed fifth in the boys’ 300-meter hurdles (41.52) and eighth in the 110-meter hurdles (15.77).

The girls’ 400-meter relay team did not finish its race, and Brooke Dominique was seventh in the pole vault (8 feet, 6 inches).

SOUTH LAFOURCHE

The Tarpons placed 12th in boys’ events, compiling 16 points.

Tyler Guidry earned all the Tarpons points finishing second in the shot put (56 feet, 2 inches) and discus (141 feet, 1 inch).

CENTRAL LAFOURCHE

The Trojans tied for 31st with one point coming from Stuart Theriot placing sixth in the 1,600-meter run in 4:29.50.

ASSUMPTION

The Lady Mustangs placed 20th earning eight points from Dani Daigle finishing second in the girls’ javelin with a throw of 131 feet, 4 inches.

CLASS 4A

VANDEBILT CATHOLIC

The Terriers tied for 19th with 12 points, while the Lady Terriers finished 11th with 17 points.

Joel Ross placed fourth in the boys’ discus (137 feet) and fifth in the boys’ shot put (50 feet, 10.25 inches).

Hunter Haydel placed fourth in the boys’ high jump (6 feet, 2 inches); Justin Babin was fifth in the boys’ 1,600-meter run (4:49.47), and Braden Eschete was seventh in the boys’ 400-meter dash (53.02).

Amber Laurent tied for fourth in the girls’ pole vault with a leap of 10 feet.

Taylor Crosby was fifth in the girls’ discus (99 feet, 1 inch); Emily Carrere was sixth in the girls’ 800-meter run (2:33.14); Alexis Guidry was sixth in the girls’ 3,200-meter run (12:47.79), and Emma Gaiennie was seventh in the girls’ javelin with a throw of 98 feet, 3 inches.

ELLENDER MEMORIAL

The Patriots tied for 21st place with 11 points, all earned by Matthews.

The Patriots’ 400-meter relay team of Matthews, Jessie Turner, Jamal Nixon and Kenyada Smith finished seventh with a time of 42.93.

Hali Yurmush was eighth in the girls’ 3,200-meter run in a time of 13:14.82.

MORGAN CITY

The Tigers tied for 11th with 20 points, all earned by Francois.

CLASS 3A

E.D. WHITE

The Cardinals finished fourth compiling 34 points, and the Lady Cardinals tied for 22nd with seven points.

Jordan Reed placed second in the boys’ 3,200-meter run (10:22.42) and fifth in the boys’ 1,600-meter run (4:45.49).

Kelsie Coats placed fourth in the girls’ 3,200-meter run (12:29.99); Lindsay Constant finished fifth in the 1,600-meter run (5:53.35), and Genevieve Leslie came in sixth in the 800-meter run (2:26.98).

Despite not setting a national record, Vandebilt senior Rachel Laurent won her third straight Class 4A girls’ pole vault title, clearing 13 feet, 6 inches. * Photo by KEYON JEFF