RESERVE — Riverside Academy track coach Joe Trosclair knew the kind of athlete the school had in Toni Perrin.

He also knew she already had her calendar full with volleyball, soccer and softball.

Still, Trosclair gave it his best shot.

“One day I asked her to come out for track,” Trosclair said. “She said, ‘I can’t because I have softball.’ I told her, she absolutely could still run track, that all the coaches would work with her.’”

The pitch worked.

Trosclair managed to woo Perrin over, and now the senior do-it-all athlete is headed to next week’s state track meet in Baton Rouge after stellar performances in Tuesday’s Region III meet in Hammond.

Just days after seeing her softball season come to a crushing end at the hands of Doyle High — despite her team-leading 10th home run of the year — Perrin was Riverside’s top performer, qualifying in four events. The top four regional finishers advance to the state meet Friday and May 7 at LSU in Baton Rouge.

A total of 29 local athletes have qualified for the state meet.

At Wednesday night’s Region 3-5A meet in Thibodaux, East St. John qualified two athletes. Da’Monte Coxie was second in the boys’ long jump (21-10.50) and Jirah Brown was third in the girls’ 100 meter hurdles (16.28).

On Tuesday, Perrin won the 200 meter run with a time of 26.81, was second in the 100 meters with a time of 13.21 and third in the long jump with a distance of 16 feet, 8.75 inches. She also ran on the 800 meter relay team that finished 2nd with a time of 1:49.50.

It all was enough to earn her MVP honors (second time this season).

“When they announced me as MVP, I was just awe-struck,” she said. “It was only my third meet of the year.”

Besides Perrin, Riverside’s Kacie Becnel was third in the javelin with a throw of 105-5.

The girls 400 meter relay team of Taylor Aubret, Alanni Martin, Oshata Franklin and Bria Neal finished third with a time of 52.64 to qualify. The 800 meter relay team of Aubret, Martin, Neal and Perrin finished second with a time of 1:49.50.

The boys qualified four individuals, as well as two relay teams.

Jajuan Bell finished third in the high jump (5-10) and the triple jump (42-4.75). Kendal Martin finished third in the 100 meters (11.50). Jalen Banks was second in the 400 meters (50.26). Curtis Laborde was third in the discus (111-6.75).

Riverside’s 400 meter relay team of Bell, Banks, Kendal Martin and Jeremy Gibson finished first with a time of 1:30.21. The 800 meter relay team of Bell, Banks, Martin and Hardell Mack finished third with a time of 43.66.

St. Charles Catholic qualified a pair of individuals and a pair of relay teams in the boys competition. Jayce Snowden was third in the 200 meter dash (52.04) and Patrick Ratliff was third in the javelin (141-2).

The Comets 4×100 meter relay team of Tahj Smith, Jacoby Johnson, Eric Lewis and Jayce Snowden finished second with a time of 43.35. The 4×400 meter relay team of Devin Dumas, Lewis, Jobe Kelly and Smith finished third with a time of 3:37.25.

Days after the competition was over, another Comets athlete was added to the list of qualifiers. Gabrielle Boesen, who initially finished fourth, was added as a late qualifier with a time of  13.29.

For West St. John,  Kie’ave Harry won the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.99, just edging teammate Austin Alexander’s 11.08.

Alexander turned the tables in the 200 meters, finishing first (22.13) ahead of Harry (22.49). Marcus Boudoin finished second in the 110 meter hurdles (15.63).

The Rams’ 400 meter relay team of Harry, Jabari Walters, Boudoin and Alexander ran its best time of 42.90 to finish second.

The 800 meter relay team of Harry, Boudoin, Alexander and Lamar Boudoin ran a time of 1:30.30 to finish second.

Christina Holmes was the only female qualifier. She finished third in the shot put (31-7.25).