By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

The East St. John girls finished second overall and the ESJ boys fifth in Thursday’s District 7-5A meet, both squads keeping a number of athletes alive in their quest to reach the Class 5A state championship meet.

The top four finishers in each individual event advanced to the regional, which is set to take place today at Thibodaux.

“We scored nearly 100 points. In a pretty tough district this year, I’m happy with that,” said East St. John girls coach Mark Creecy.

Elizabeth Scioneaux and Ayonte Thomas led the Wildcats with individual district championship finishes. Scioneaux took first in the long jump with a career-best 17-9.5. She also finished third in the triple jump (35-2) and fourth in the high jump (4-11). 

“Joi (Scioneaux) did exactly what I expected and then some. We got her best effort,” said Creecy. 

Thomas took first in the 100 meter hurdles (16.32) and fourth in the triple jump (34-8). 

Jirah Brown took second in the 300 (52.74). Keilah Scott was third in the 400 (1:02.98).  Ladeja Harris finished fourth in the 200 (27.60). Angelique Johnson finished fourth. Dominique Gray was fourth in the discus (86-8). Ciera Eugene took third in the javelin (100-5).

Eugene was only competing in her second meet of the season as a javelin competitor.

“She improved 21 feet from her last outing,” said Creecy. “She jumped from 79 to 100. I’m expecting her to do well (at the regional). It kind of reminds me of what we saw with Alaya Thompson in the past few years. She competed in two meets near the end of the season and ended up earning a scholarship to Prairie View. I’m hoping she ends up going down the same road.”

The girls 4×100 (Leilah Washington, Ladeja Harris, Elizabeth Scioneaux and Bianca Holmes, 52.54) and 4×200 (Angelique Johnson, Keilah Scott, Harris and Holmes, 1:49.56) teams each took second place while the 4×400 (Johnson, Scott, Harris and Tiffany Bacon, 4:34.25) team took 3rd. 

Jarod Jackson was second in the 400 (51.51) and third in the long jump (21-0.25). Darius Lipps was fourth in the 100 (11.36). Darian Perry was fourth in the 800 (2:09.09). Jalen Brown was third in the high jump (5-9)

The boys 4×200 (Jacob McNeil, Darius Lipps, Jarod Jackson and DaQuan Cross, 1:30.52) and 4×400 (McNeil, Cross, Ron Rachal and Jackson, 3:34.43) each took second place.

The 4×100 team did not qualify due to an errant baton exchange during that event. That was especially disappointing, Gathers said while pointing out that at one point this season, his 4×100 squad of Dontrell Allen, Darius Lipps, Jacob McNeil and Jarod Jackson posted the third best time of any team in the state. 

“We really hoped to see them get to state. I thought we’d have a shot to win it,” said Gathers. “We still have high hopes for the 4×2 and 4×4 teams. I know 4×2, especially, will be a battle for that top spot.”

Gathers said that the competition was fierce this season in 7-5A, with East St. John, Destrehan and Hahnville moving back into the “Bayou District” with Thibodaux, Terrebonne, Central Lafourche, South Lafourche and H.L. Bourgeois. 

“The field events are a lot tougher this season,” said Gathers. “We had two pole vaulters this year who had marks of 9-6 and 7-6. 9-6 would have at least placed third last year. This year it’s 6th.’

“We’ve got a good group with a chance to go to state. At the regional, that’s obviously our goal. We want to get them all to state.”