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West St. John High School’s track and field team is set to compete in the LHSAA State Track Meet at Louisiana State University on May 8, following a strong performance at the District 10- 1A regional track meet in Metairie. 

The boys and girls qualifiers will compete in various events, including the 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 relays, the 200, 400, and 800-meter races, long jump, discus, and shot put.

Among the standout performers was West St. John’s eighth-grader Nieva Scott, named the track MVP for her achievements in multiple events at the regional meet.

Scott was a double winner for the girls, clinching the 200-meter dash top prize with 27.63 seconds, finishing second in the 4 × 400 meters relay, and running on a winning 4 × 200 meters relay team.

“The happiness this sport brings me motivates me to train hard and compete at a high level,” Scott said. “My goals moving forward is to keep believing in myself and to jump 18 feet in long jump.”

The girls’ relay team of Nivea Scott, Da’Shawn Anderson, Jayla Ezidore, and Kerrione Williams won the 4×200 relay with a time of 1:49.67 and finished second in the 4×400 with a time of 4:34.29.

Head Coach of the athletics team, Cornell Watkins, praised the team’s resilience and growth throughout the season.“I’m proud of all the members of the track team,” Watkins said. “They fought hard all season and even broke a few school records in the process.”

Riverside Academy was the overall winner, while St. Martins Episcopal and Louise McGehee tied for second place. West St. John’s girls and boys tied for overall third place in the regional meet for the state qualifiers.

West St. John’s Kerrione Williams won the girls’ 400 meters with 1:04.57 seconds on the clock. She was also part of the winning 4 × 200 meters relay team with a time of 1:49.70 seconds and runner-up in the 4 × 100 meters relay team with 51.87 seconds. They all achieved personal bests and set new school records. 

In the boys competition, West St. John won the regional in the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 45:16 seconds, just ahead of Riverside’s 45:54 and Vernado’s 49:19. It was the Rams’ personal best time with members of the relay team, which includes Matthew Borne, Kernell Narcisse, Jordae Grows, and Jakari Milton. 

Grows said winning the district title was well-deserved and credited Coach Watkins with helping him reach his goal of qualifying for the state meet.

“I feel like it was well deserved because I put so much work and effort into what I do. I want to say thank you to Coach Watkins for believing in me and helping me chase my goal of making it to state,” Grows said.

Jordae Grows, Da’Shawn Anderson, Jayla Ezidore, and Kerrione Williams of West St. John will be among the athletes making their first appearances at the state meet. 

Last year’s West St. John’s personal records include Jade Jackson’s 13.08 in the 100 meters and 27.30 in the 200 meters, and D’ymond Turley’s 2:37.18 in the 800 meters.

Turley said she has grown in confidence and maturity as an 800-meter runner, as she aims to return to the state meet and place in the top three.

“My confidence has grown significantly over the last year, and I understand the importance of being a top athlete in the 800 meters. Coach Watkins has helped me a lot with staying patient, controlling my emotions, and running at my own pace during the race,” Turley said. 

“The thing driving me this season is getting back to state and trying my hardest to reach the top three this year.”