Indoor track titles prove elusive for locals

Three local competitors entered the state High School Indoor Track Championship on Saturday with the best mark in their event during the season, but none left Carl Maddox Fieldhouse with a title.

However, seniors Caleb Williams of H.L. Bourgeois and Vandebilt Catholic’s Jaora Johnson placed second in the Division I 400-meter run and pole vault, respectively. Bourgeois’ Philip Jackson finished tied for fifth in the Division I high jump.

Finishing in third place were E.D. White’s Jordan Reed in the Division II 3,200-meter run, and in Division I events Terrebonne High’s Mark Lawson in the long jump and Bourgeois’ 4×400-meter relay team.

“Overall, they (Bayou Region athletes), did okay,” said Bourgeois track coach Joe Riley. “Nobody did as well as we thought they could do.”

Williams, last year’s runner-up in the 400-meter run, placed second with a time of 49.54, three-tenths of a second behind Slidell High’s Zach Johnson. Williams had the best time during the indoor season with 49.11 and was looking to set a new record in the event.

“I didn’t run a smart race,” he said. “I ran more with my heart. When I saw I couldn’t break the record, I slowed down and he passed me up.”

Williams made up for that race with a dazzling anchor leg run in the 4×400 relay.

The Bourgeois team — Pat Ward, Jerry Rivere, Devin Olivier and Williams – was last when Olivier handed Williams the baton.

Williams blazed around the track in 46.9 seconds and passed four other runners to give Bourgeois a third place finish in a time of 3:31:25.

During the season, Jackson had the state’s best high jump mark at 6-1. On Saturday he only cleared 5-10.

“He only competed in one meet this year,” Riley said. “We haven’t gotten a chance to practice with him and teach him the little technical things to be consistent because he was playing basketball.”

Johnson had the highest vault coming into the meet at 14-4. On Saturday, he placed second with a 14-2 vault to Lafayette’s Andreas Duplantis, who cleared 14-8

Johnson had cleared 14-8 on his second attempt. However, the crossbar fell after he got off the mat. Under Louisiana High School Athletic Association rules, that is deemed a foul, and Johnson failed to match Duplantis’ height in his final try.

“It was a good jump, but that’s the rules I guess,” Johnson said. “I had better jumps in the beginning of the meet. I just didn’t carry it over to the higher heights.”

Lawson’s 22-5 1/2 long jump was good for third place. He also competed in the 55-meter dash where he finished 16th and pulled his hamstring.

Reed, who placed second in the state cross country meet in November, came in third in the 3,200 meter race in a time of 10:17.02.

“I think I competed pretty well. Some of these guys are not in our (E.D. White) class, so it’s good to get some out-of-class competition,” he said. “I think I’m better prepared for the outdoor season.”