By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

BATON ROUGE — Local athletes reached the winner’s podium in 14 events at last weekend’s state track and field championships on a rainy weekend at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium, led by a duo of championship winners from Lutcher and another from Hahnville. 

Lutcher’s Tahrike Jones won the Class 4A boys 400 meter dash, Lutcher won the 4A 4×200 meter relay and Hahnville’s Brandon Singleton won the 5A 300 meter hurdles state championship to pace the roster of local winners. 

Singleton finished with a time of 37.43, besting Catholic of Baton Rouge’s Davis Richardson’s second place mark of 38.65. Singleton also finished second in the 110 meter hurdles (13.91). 

The Lutcher girls’ banked a time of 1:43.68, topping Benton’s mark of 1:44.12. The Bulldogs’ 4×200 team was comprised of Jawane Jenkins, Daijah Washington, Taylor Payne and Taylor Riley. Jenkins, Washington and Payne were each part of Lutcher’s 2013 4×100 championship team. 

Jones’ 400 meter mark of 48.68 bested Andre Johnson of West Ouachita, who timed at 49.12. 

Among teams, the Riverside girls finished seventh overall. Hahnville finished eighth among 5A boys and Lutcher eighth among 4A girls.  

The Riverside girls were led by senior field stars Michelle Mayes and Kendra Turner. 

Mayes finished third in the 2A javelin (109-04) and discus (92-04) while finishing sixth in the shot put.

It was the third consecutive year Mayes  competed at the state meet. She competed in the discus in 2013, placing third. She found herself on the podium twice this season.

“I felt really confident this year. I had lots of help with my technique over the season,” said Mayes. 

“I wasn’t so nervous because I believed in myself. It helps to have been here before and to know what I’m up against.”

Turner took third in the shot put (34-08.75), seventh in the triple jump and ninth in the discus. 

Riverside coach Joe Trosclair said his team’s showing was the program’s best in years.

“It was the first time in a long time that we had such a great effort across the board. They put in tremendous work, and this is the result. I’m extremely proud of our girls, and also our boys. We had two boys relay teams place for the first time.”

The Rebels’ Channan Simmons finished fifth in the long jump (16-08.50). The girls 4×100 (Kennedy White, Peyton Sutton, Channan Simmons and Ta’Jah Greenup, 51.10) took fourth place, as did the 4×400 team (Sutton, Kolbi Johnson, Simmons and Toni Perrin). Kennedy White finished seventh in the 100. Toni Perrin finished 8th in the long jump. 

For the Rebel boys, the 4×200 team (Joe Anderson, Darrion Cook, Von Julien and Curtis Thomas) took fifth while the 4×100 team (Gerald Songy, Thomas, Cook, Julien) finished sixth. JuJuan Bell was eighth in the high jump. 

Quan Scott led the way for West St. John, taking third place in two events, the Class 1A boys triple jump (43-03.75) and the long jump (22-0) while finishing eighth in the high jump. 

The Rams’ Maya Trench finished ninth in the 1A girls  triple jump.

St. James’ Jerrell Joseph took third in the 2A boys high jump (5-10). Angelois Washington was fourth in the shot put (44-01.50). Dontaze Cosley was sixth in the long jump (21-04.75). 

Hahnville’s Brock Bourgeois competed in the para-ambulatory events, finishing second in the 100 (18.62) and discus (58-01), third in the shot put (21-01) and third in the javelin (70-01).

HHS’ Bre Bias finished fourth in the 5A girls triple-jump (37-08.25). 

Hahnville’s Bryce Robinson finished third in the 3200 (9:30.93). Beau Robinson finished sixth in the boys 1600 and eighth in the 3200. 

For East St. John, Joi Scioneaux took fifth in the girls long jump (17-04.75).

The Wildcat girls placed ninth in the 4×100.

ESJ’s Jalen Brown finished eighth in the boys high jump. The 4×200 team finished eighth while Jared Jackson finished ninth in the 400. 

Lutcher’s Daijah Washington finished  fifth in the 200 (25.76) and sixth in the 100. 

Destrehan’s Kirk Merritt placed second in the 5A boys 100 (10.68), edged by Haughton’s Micah Larkins, who defended his 100 crown with a time of 10.56. 

DHS’ 4×100 boys team (Reshun Turner, Craig Jones, Kirk Merritt, Kristian Mosley, 42.06) placed third. 

Destrehan’s Kristian Mosley finished ninth in the 200.